Cegid and Silae merge in €10 billion deal led by Silver Lake

French business software providers Cegid and Silae said they are planning to merge into a single European technology group. The combined entity will hold an enterprise value of more than €10 billion ($11.6 billion). Private equity firm Silver Lake, the majority owner of both companies, intends to retain a majority interest in the new organization. Christian Pedersen has been newly appointed as CEO, while Managing Partner Christian Lucas will serve as chairman of the combined group. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approval. The merger aims to create a developer team of 1,400 people to focus on research and development for AI-powered products. Both companies currently operate within the payroll, accounting, e-invoicing, digital finance, and payments sectors. Industry concerns regarding artificial intelligence disruption have recently caused volatility in software stocks.