Canadian digital services giant CGI has completed its takeover of Apside, a French ESN (Digital Services Company) founded in 1976 that specialises in engineering and digital transformation. AURIS Finance, an M&A consultancy, deciphers this latest market move.
CGI, a Canadian group and one of the world leaders in digital services, is continuing its growth in Europe by acquiring the French ESN Apside. The value of the transaction was not disclosed, but it was finalised at the end of summer 2025.
€250 million in turnover
Through this acquisition, CGI has acquired a major player in the French market. Founded in Boulogne-Billancourt in 1976, the group now employs 2,500 people in France, Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Portugal and Switzerland. The vast majority (2,200) are based in France. Apside reported a turnover of €250 million for the last financial year. The group has a portfolio of around 300 clients in the financial and insurance sectors, as well as in manufacturing and public services. Apside specialises in designing, developing and maintaining IT solutions for businesses and public authorities. Thanks to its expertise in artificial intelligence, data, cloud technology and cybersecurity, Apside supports organisations in their digital transformation and the integration of cloud solutions. The group is also a cyber risk protection expert.
A Canadian behemoth
Apside is now joining the CGI group. A behemoth in the sector, CGI employs over 93,000 people worldwide, including several thousand in France. In the 2024 financial year, CGI generated revenues of CAN$14.68 billion. The group recorded significant growth in the third quarter of 2025, with revenues up 11.4% year-on-year to €4.09 billion.
In the top 5 ESNs in France
With a presence in 21 countries, CGI is the leading independent provider of digital consulting and services. The group has been expanding in France since 2022, when it acquired Umanis, a specialist in data and artificial intelligence solutions. This major acquisition gave CGI control of a group with 3,000 employees and a turnover of €246 million. According to the Numeum KPMG ranking of digital services (ESN) and ICT (information and communication technology) consulting engineering companies, CGI France was ranked 7th in France in 2024, behind industry giants such as Orange Business Services, Atos, Accenture, Sopra Steria and Capgemini. In 2025, CGI continued its expansion in France by opening two offices in Orléans and Nancy. The group now hopes to become one of the top 5 ESNs in France.
A fast-growing sector
According to Numeum France data, the digital market in France was estimated to be worth €66 billion in 2023, with sustained growth of around 6% a year, driven by the Cloud, Big Data and AI. Growth in the latter segment is very significant, with an estimated market of €1.1 billion in 2024, up 23% year-on-year.
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