Arkadin Acquires Novasight With the Support of AXA Private Equity

Online, November 29, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Arkadin, the leading global collaboration services provider, has acquired Novasight, a company founded and managed by Philippe Decaesteke specializing in video conferencing services.

Through this acquisition, Arkadin will reinforce its video conferencing offer (from the video-as-a-service to managed services) while boosting its development to Unified Communications, solutions which gather all the collaboration tools within a single interface.

Many synergies between Arkadin and Novasight have already been identified. Novasight will be able to utilize Arkadin's global network to accelerate its own growth. Besides, Arkadin will be able to offer its 25,000 B2B clients the recognized knowledge and expertise of Novasight's teams and technological partnerships, which the company has built since its creation in 2001 (Cisco-Tandberg, Polycom, Radvision).

Arkadin has 1,000 employees in 31 countries, is expected to achieve a turnover of EUR 185 million in 2012 -- an increase of 45% on last year -- and aims to double the turnover of its video business in 2013. AXA Private Equity, main shareholder of Arkadin since August 2012, will help the management team integrate Novasight's skills while continuing to provide experience and geographical reach.

Olivier de Puymorin, founder and CEO of Arkadin, said: "We are delighted to integrate Novasight's expertise into our company as it offers major growth opportunities. This acquisition allows our company to grow its offer and asserts our presence across the value chain of Unified Communications."

Philippe Decaesteke, founder and CEO of Novasight, said: "This acquisition will allow Novasight to enter a new stage in its development. The technological expertise of our teams, plus the market know-how and international presence of Arkadin, constitute the key elements of a successful combination."

François Jerphagnon, Managing Director Small Market Enterprise Capital at AXA Private Equity, added: "The acquisition of Novasight represents an important stage in Arkadin's growth, reinforcing its presence in the high growing market of video conferencing services. Novasight's expertise strengthens the distinctive positioning of Arkadin compared to its competitors."

After 10 years of significant growth, Arkadin, founded and headed by Olivier de Puymorin, has become the third largest independent collaboration service operator worldwide, and allowed more than 60 million people to collaborate in 2011. This year, Arkadin has experienced record growth once more, which has been ranked second in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, for which the company is acknowledged in the intermediate size category. The award establishes an annual ranking of the 50 French technology companies that show the best turnover growth, demonstrating their ability to develop the business at a fast and sustainable pace in a constantly evolving technological environment. With this award, Arkadin is clearly recognized as one of the fastest-growing technology companies in France.

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