TLT advises Italian technology business Dedagroup on acquisition of cybersecurity, compliance and risk business Quod Orbis

Renowned for its cutting-edge expertise in cybersecurity and its Continuous Controls Monitoring (CCM) SaaS platform, Quod Orbis is a fast-growing, innovative company offering an advanced software solution and consultancy services designed to safeguard digital landscapes. The CCM platform at the centre of the Quod Orbis offering provides comprehensive visibility of a business‚Äôs cybersecurity, compliance, and risk environment, automating and improving security controls and IT audits.

Dedagroup’s acquisition of Quod Orbis, its fifteenth acquisition since 2020, is part of its ambitious international growth strategy and follows deals across various technology verticals in Europe and the United States. Quod Orbis will enhance Dedagroup’s governance, compliance and risk offering for enterprises operating in various sectors, including banking, finance and insurance.

TLT advised Dedagroup on all legal aspects of the acquisition. The deal was led by corporate partner Adam Kuan with support from associate Sam Foley and managing associate Mumuksha Singh in the corporate team. The corporate team were supported by specialist lawyers across TLT, including the tax, commercial, intellectual property, data protection, employment, incentives, pensions, immigration, property, banking and regulatory teams. 

 Adam Kuan, partner in TLT‚Äôs corporate team said: ‚ÄúCybersecurity M&A activity continues to be robust, driven by the need for advanced security technologies to address evolving cyber threats in a turbulent geopolitical and economic environment. As businesses across all sectors continue to undergo digital transformation, they encounter new security challenges, increasing the demand for effective cybersecurity systems. Ongoing economic uncertainty and the increased cost of capital has significantly affected deal activity across the world. Dealmakers are more focused than ever on ensuring value creation and achieving strategic goals. This focus is exemplified by the acquisition of Quod Orbis by Dedagroup. It was a pleasure to support the Dedagroup team in completing this transaction.‚Äù  

This acquisition reflects the strong upward trend of global cybersecurity M&A. According to GlobalData, in the first quarter of 2024, the total value of global cybersecurity M&A deals rose to $23.9 billion, making up around 20% of all global tech M&A activity during that period. This is a significant increase from the $3.5 billion recorded in Q1 2023 (which constituted 8.7% of global tech M&A activity for that quarter) and also the previous quarter’s total of $3.4 billion. This upward trajectory shows that cybersecurity is a key theme driving tech M&A activity and reflects a shift towards larger transactions as well as a heightened focus on the growing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats.