Smaller than his potential rivals on this issue, David Layani knew he had to shoot first to get a head start. The founder of the technology consulting company Onepoint revealed on Tuesday, September 27, his intention to buy from Atos its cybersecurity division, called “Evidian”, which is being separated from the rest of the group.
The proposal, worth 4.2 billion euros, was quickly swept aside. “Not in the interest of society”, judged the board of directors, surprised by the nerve of this 43-year-old suitor. Starting from scratch twenty years ago, David Layani has multiplied acquisitions to make his group a French reference in technology consulting. “But, by aiming for Evidian, it’s the frog that wants to make itself bigger than[du 27 septembre] beef “, criticizes a close friend of Atos. Onepoint achieves 400 million euros in annual turnover, twelve times less than Evidian. The financing of the operation, drawn up by Grégoire Heuzé, a former banker at Lazard, and Crédit Agricole, with the support of the British investment fund ICG, is not convincing.
Orange and Thales are monitoring Atos closely, under the benevolent eye of the State, shareholder of the two groups, concerned that its cyber activities remain under the French flag.
The indictment of David Layani for “complicity in witness tampering” in one of the aspects of the file of suspicions of Libyan financing of the presidential campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy, in 2007, also weighed in the decision of Atos. David Layani, who did not comment on World, has always denied any embezzlement in this case. And he is determined that it does not block his ambitions on Evidian. ” Proposal [du 27 septembre] was just the first shot. There will be more”promises a close friend of the leader.
new vocations
But Onepoint will probably no longer be alone. Its irruption awakened other interests. For months, Orange and Thales have been watching Atos closely, under the benevolent eye of the State, shareholder of the two groups, anxious that its cyber activities remain under the French flag. Evidian is, for example, one of the few global manufacturers of supercomputers, an activity inherited from the takeover of Bull by Atos in 2014. Neither Orange nor Thales would like to officially comment on their appetite for Evidian.
On September 27, Aliette Mousnier-Lompré, the director of Orange Business Services, simply admitted, during a conference, that the operator “look at all the opportunities” with “the intention to be active” to establish itself as the European leader in this business. At Thales, CEO Patrice Caine, advised by banker Matthieu Pigasse (indirect shareholder of the World), is chomping at the bit. “ Thales will only launch if Evidian is officially for sale. This file will not be able to stay as it is for very long.explains a close friend of the defense group.
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