Munich, 13 January 2009 – Munich based industrial holding AURELIUS acquires Thales Information Systems GmbH (Siegburg), one of Germany’s leading IT service providers for SAP systems and custom solutions. The contracts were signed with the France-headquartered parent company Thales.

With more than 250 consultants and well in excess of a hundred SAP projects successfully carried out, Thales Information Systems is one of Germany’s premium system integrators in the SAP sector. In the 2008 financial year, the company generated consolidated revenues of around EUR 50 million with positive pretax earnings. Since the company was integrated into the Thales Group (former Thomson-CSF) 1996, a host of reputable German and international companies from the manufacturing and automotive sectors as well as finance, utilities and transportation have relied on the expertise of Thales Information Systems.

As a spin-off of Thales, which focuses on its core business in the critical information systems sector, Thales Information Systems fits perfectly into the profile of companies AURELIUS typically acquires.

“As ‘Good Home’ for companies in special situations, we will help Thales Information Systems to operate in the market successfully as an independent company in the coming months and years,” explains Dr. Dirk Markus, CEO of AURELIUS. “Together with the employees we shall further extend the company’s expertise and structures.”

Fabrice Bourdeix, VP, MD of Critical Information Systems of Thales, sees great benefit for customers of Thales Information Systems as well. “Through this transaction, Thales extends the reach of Thales Information Systems in the IT services market in Germany and retains a strategic partnership with its former subsidiary to jointly address the needs of international customers and bring them higher added value.”

AURELIUS has been operating successfully in the IT service sector since taking over system integration operations from the Swiss based telecommunications group Sunrise in June 2008. This company currently operating under the name “connectis” is now one of the leading system integrators in Switzerland as underlined by its growing customer base.

The acquisition of Thales Information Systems is subject to approval by the responsible anti-trust authorities. The transaction is expected to be finalized by the end of January.