IN Groupe acquires Caelum’s identity operations in the Middle East and North Africa and the ATUM identity software platform

Team

Date2026
SectorStrategic Businesses
TypeM&A Buy-SIde
RegionEurope, Middle East

The client

IN Groupe, a long standing Gimar & Co’s client, designs identity solutions, secure transactions and trusted digital services for governments and businesses. Wholly owned by the French State, the group employs 4,000 people in 40 countries and serves clients in around 130 countries. It runs 20 R&D centres and 10 industrial sites, with consolidated revenue of nearly €1 billion.

Two recent acquisitions changed the group’s scale: Nets’ digital identity business, completed in 2024, and IDEMIA Smart Identity, completed in 2025.

Background and rationale

IN Groupe wanted a stronger footing in the Middle East and North Africa, a region where identity programmes are won and run close to the client. After two large acquisitions in Europe, the aim was to reinforce local presence, identity specialists and proven software technology.

Caelum group met all three aims. It has designed, developed and deployed identity management solutions for clients in the region for more than 20 years, built on its own software platform, ATUM.

The transaction

The acquisition covers a defined part of Caelum group, not the group as a whole:

  • Caelum’s identity operations in the Middle East and North Africa, with their teams;
  • ATUM, the identity management software platform developed by Caelum.

Caelum’s teams join IN Groupe, which ensures continuity for existing clients and programmes. In IN Groupe’s press release, Yann Haguet, Acting Chairman and CEO, names a smooth transition as his immediate priority. Omar El Gohary, Co-Founder of Caelum group, sees the deal giving its operations and ATUM international scale.

Financial terms are not disclosed.

Gimar & Co’s role

Gimar & Co acted as financial advisor to IN Groupe on this cross-border acquisition.

The transaction reflects Gimar & Co’s expertise in technology and strategic industries, and its ability to support French groups in their international acquisitions.

→ See previous transaction for IN Groupe