The matter is clear: Atos has found a buyer. A first decisive step towards salvation has been taken.

Atos announced in a press release that it had found a buyer. There were two proposals on the table and after taking an extra week, Atos management made a decision. The choice fell on Onepoint, which was already one of the most important shareholders with 11 percent.

Onepoint promises to pump 250 million euros of fresh capital and 1.5 billion euros in loans into Atos. This welcome injection of capital should guide the sinking ship of the French IT company through the most turbulent waters.

Onepoint is not doing this alone: ​​Butler Industries and the French-Belgian IT service provider Econocom are also part of the consortium. The other takeover offer came from Czech billionaire David Kretinsky, but he did not make it.

Operation Rescue

Now that a buyer has been found, the rescue operation for Atos can effectively begin. After all, it has been a while since there was any positive news from the French IT giant, which is also active in Belgium. The billion-dollar losses piled up and the company changed its CEO like football clubs change their coaches. A decision on the takeover was also delayed.

The homework is far from finished. Atos and Onepoint will now plan the financial restructuring of the company together. The rescue plan must be on the table by July.

The fact that Atos remains largely French-owned will also please the government. Atos has several strategic contracts with the defense and nuclear industries and is also a key IT partner for this summer’s Olympic Games. The French government would prefer not to see any foreign interference in the company.