Silver Lake will merge two French software companies it owns, Cegid and Silae. Cegid sells business management, accounting and tax software. Silae provides payroll and basic human resources tools. The combined group brings together payroll, accounting, electronic invoicing, digital finance and payments data. It will run a 1,400-person developer team to invest in AI. The companies say the merger lets them increase research spending as AI reshapes their market. Silver Lake stays the majority owner of the merged business. Christian Lucas of Silver Lake will chair it, and points to 17 million small and medium-sized businesses as potential customers. Both firms started in France and now also operate in Spain and Portugal, with Cegid also in Germany. Completion needs regulatory approval and is expected in the first half of 2027.
What changed
Cegid and Silae operated separately under Silver Lake ownership.
What it unlocks
Buying payroll, accounting, e-invoicing and payments from one combined provider.
- enterprise value over €10bn ($11.6bn)
- 1,400-person developer team
- combined revenue €1.6bn ($1.9bn)
- completion expected H1 2027
What you need to act on it
- regulatory approval
- deal completion expected in the first half of 2027
Sources