Spanish multinational Konecta and Italian multinational Comdata, specialists in customer experience solutions, have agreed to merge and form the world's sixth largest call centre industry group. Their combined forces will create a group with a turnover of EUR2 billion and an EBITDA of EUR 300 million. It will in addition have 500 major clients in Europe and America, as well as a workforce of 130,000 employees.

The new company will provide services in more than 30 languages to clients in a wide range of sectors, including banking, insurance, industry, retail and e-commerce, education, telecommunications, technology, tourism and transport, and utilities.

Growth strategy
This initiative is a milestone in the growth, diversification and internationalisation strategy started by José María Pacheco, Chairman and Founder of Konecta. The headquarters of the new group will be in Madrid, with Pacheco as Chairman. Jesús Vidal Barrio (CEO of Konecta) and Maxime Didier (CEO of Comdata) will retain their roles, which they will share from now on. UK fund Intermediate Capital Group (ICG), led in Spain by Jaime Chocrón, has partnered with the two companies in their merger process.

The transaction is expected to be closed in the second half of this year, upon receipt of regulatory approval. The leadership team will then implement a plan to seek both organic and inorganic growth opportunities. This process will explore the implementation of technological, end-to-end and multichannel solutions based on big data, artificial intelligence, digital marketing, robotisation and automation.

The group already has a privileged position in Spanish, Latin American, Italian and French markets, and will seek to boost growth in the North American market and across Europe.

A dynamic market
For José María Pacheco, this transaction will allow the group to “seize opportunities in a dynamic market like ours. Konecta and Comdata share a common vision of sustainable growth based on customer service, experience in the sector, and continuous technological innovation. The company, which will maintain its entrepreneurial spirit, will benefit from the financial backing of ICG to accelerate its plans for growth and actively participate in market consolidation.”

Maxime Didier and Massimo Canturi, CEO of Comdata Italy and board member of the new group, said, “We are delighted to be able to work with Jose María and Jesús, who have demonstrated incredible knowledge of the industry with Konecta. The Comdata teams, whom we would also like to thank, are also excited about competing with major market players again.”