Investec has advised the shareholders of Certigo on the sale of the Group to SOCOTEC
About the deal
Certigo is a leading tech-enabled provider of B2B regulatory safety training and workforce certification services on the French market. Through its 24 centres, Certigo trains and certifies more than 65,000 employees for corporates across the construction, industry, energy and temporary staffing sectors.
Its catalogue comprises more than 90 programmes, covering handling and lifting, CACES®, electrical risks, asbestos, work at height and confined spaces. Certigo is a tech-enabled player structured around Planner, its proprietary digital platform which manages scheduling, documentation and renewal deadlines, gives multi-site clients visibility and traceability over their training, and speeds up the integration of acquired centres.
Following a competitive sale process, Certigo is sold to SOCOTEC, a global leader in testing, inspection and certification in construction and infrastructure, with €1.85bn of consolidated revenue.
The acquisition makes SOCOTEC Formation France’s second-largest player in technical and regulatory training, with 70 centres, and c. €100m in revenue in 2027. It combines SOCOTEC’s risk expertise and national reach with Certigo’s hands-on safety training, local network and digital platform, to serve SMEs and large corporates.
Our role
Investec advised the shareholders throughout the sale process:
- Designing the equity story
- Preparing marketing materials
- Reviewing the business plan
- Identifying and selecting relevant trade buyers and financial investors
- Coaching the management team
- Coordinating the financial vendor due diligence
- Managing buyer due diligences
- Organising a competitive process
- Negotiating final transaction terms
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Our relationship with Investec was built over several years, well before this transaction. This proximity, combined with their knowledge of our business and of the regulatory field more broadly, naturally guided our choice. Their ability to run a rigorous and efficient process within a tight timeline was decisive in bringing about the combination with SOCOTEC, while taking into account the financial and human dimensions of the project.
