Press release
Atos is Entering into Next Phase of Discussions with Airbus
to Form a Long-Term Strategic and Technological Partnership and to Sell a Minority Stake in Evidian
Paris, France, February 16, 2023 – Atos, a global leader in digital transformation, today announced that it has received an indicative offer from Airbus to enter into a long-term strategic and technological agreement and to acquire a minority stake of 29.9% in Evidian.
This proposal is consistent with Atos’ separation plan announced during the June 14, 2022, Capital Markets Day.
Atos’ Board of Directors has decided to further engage with Airbus, conduct a due-diligence process and negotiate on mutually satisfactory terms on both a long-term strategic and technological partnership and the disposal of the 29.9% stake in Evidian.
Atos does not intend to grant any exclusivity to Airbus, and no assurances can be made that the parties will successfully negotiate and enter into a definitive set of agreements. Atos remains committed to examining received indications of interest from partners that can support a major financial and industrial project.
A potential long-term strategic and technological agreement with significant sustainable value creation
Evidian is a leading digital transformation partner and a leading European player in the big data, cybersecurity and high-performance computing sectors with established and emerging offerings centered around deep expertise and proprietary technology. With Airbus as a potential anchor shareholder and with a long-term strategic and technological agreement, Evidian would strengthen its European leadership and global reach in cloud, advanced computing, digital security and digitalization.
The proposed agreement would enable both companies to leverage each of their world-class talents, expertise and customer base to generate cross-selling opportunities and enter into new attractive markets by providing unique sovereign digital solutions from secure cloud to data management and security. In addition, combining Airbus’ capabilities with Evidian’s global leading position in managed security services and supercomputing would create a unique European actor in cybersecurity solutions and in the digitalization of the defense sector, public safety and critical national infrastructure.
Bertrand Meunier, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Atos, stated: "Airbus’ interest in becoming an anchor shareholder is an acknowledgement of Evidian’s unique capabilities in an increasingly complex digital environment with heightened security challenges. Through this proposed large-scale partnership, we would accelerate Evidian’s industrial project and future growth while ensuring technological sovereignty in France and in Europe in the critical fields of cloud, advanced computing, cybersecurity and digitalization. Atos, including Evidian’s teams, and Airbus have a long history of collaboration and share common values, and, going forward, they would continue to foster innovation and excellence.”
Atos confirms that the Group is on track with its strategic transformation project as announced during its Capital Markets Day.
Atos will publish its results for the fiscal year 2022 on February 28, 2023.
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About Evidian
“Evidian”, which designs the scope composed of Atos’ digital, big data and security business lines, will be a global leader in data-driven, trusted and sustainable digital transformation. As a new generation digital player with worldwide leading positions in digital, cloud, data, advanced computing and security, it brings deep expertise for all industries in more than 53 countries. By uniting unique high-end technologies across the full digital continuum with 60,000 world-class talents, Evidian expands the possibilities of technologies for enterprises and public authorities, helping them to build their digital future. Evidian is an Atos Group business with an annual revenue of c. € 5 billion.
About Atos
Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 112,000 employees and annual revenue of c. € 11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 71 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.
The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.
Press contacts
Anette Rey | anette.rey@atos.net | +33 (0)6 69 79 84 88
Anne Méaux | ameaux@Image7.fr | +33 (0)6 89 87 61 76
Arnaud Dupui-Castérès | arnaud.dupuicasteres@vae-solis.com | +33 (0)6 14 17 97 90
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