SoftwareOne to acquire Crayon in $1.4 billion merger deal
The merged firm will be 'uniquely positioned' to capitalize on a $150 billion market


SoftwareOne has acquired fellow software and cloud solutions provider Crayon Group in a deal valuing the firm at $1.4 billion.
Switzerland-based SoftwareOne is one of the largest resellers of Microsoft licenses, offering software and cloud purchases, implementation, and support services.
Oslo-based Crayon, meanwhile, distributes licenses for hyperscalers AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, mainly in the Nordic region.
"SoftwareOne and Crayon have been strategic channel partners for Microsoft, and we are grateful for the work both companies have done to serve our joint customers over the years," commented Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Microsoft.
"As these companies come together, I’m excited to see the added value it will bring customers such as broader geographical coverage and enhanced service offerings to support their business transformation needs."
SoftwareOne and Crayon said they have a complementary geographical footprint, customer base and offering. The combined company will serve 70 countries and have around 13,000 employees, with revenues of about $1.78 billion.
The merged firm will be uniquely positioned to capitalize on trends such as public cloud adoption and an increased focus on managing cloud spend, data and AI, and security, according to SoftwareOne.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
As part of the deal, the duo will also ramp up their coverage of the small and medium enterprise sector through SoftwareOne’s digital sales hubs and Crayon’s channel platform.
"Together with Crayon, we will have a broad global presence with extensive local reach, strong hyperscaler partnerships, including with Microsoft, and enhanced service offerings to meet customer needs," said Raphael Erb, chief executive officer of SoftwareOne.
"Building on our strong value-based foundations as leading global providers of software and cloud solutions, we will be very well positioned to drive accelerated growth and improved profitability."
The CEOs of the two firms, SoftwareOne's Raphael Erb and Crayon's Melissa Mulholland, will become co-CEOs of the combined company.
The companies said they hope to deepen their relationships with hyperscalers, thanks to a greater combined scale and the ability to offer global access across a range of customer sectors.
"By combining the strengths of Crayon and SoftwareOne, we are in a unique position to grow our global footprint and deliver exceptional value to our partners and customers as well as capitalise on new market opportunities. Our strong hyperscaler partnerships, including with Microsoft, will give us a strengthened services offering that will meet future customer needs," said Mulholland.
"I look forward to working with the SoftwareOne team, and my main priority is to ensure that our strong entrepreneurial and people-first culture remains the driving force in building our future together."
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter next year, subject to shareholder approval.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance journalist writing for publications including the BBC, Private Eye, Forbes, Raconteur and specialist technology titles.
-
What to look out for at RSAC Conference 2025
Analysis Convincing attendees that AI can revolutionize security will be the first point of order at next week’s RSA Conference – but traditional threats will be a constant undercurrent
By Rory Bathgate
-
Ransomware attacks are rising — but quiet payouts could mean there's more than actually reported
News Ransomware attacks continue to climb, but they may be even higher than official figures show as companies choose to quietly pay to make such incidents go away.
By Nicole Kobie
-
Microsoft just hit a major milestone in its ‘zero waste’ strategy
News Microsoft says it's outstripping its zero waste targets, recording a 90.9% reuse and recycling rate for servers and components in 2024.
By Emma Woollacott
-
CyberOne appoints Microsoft’s Tracey Pretorius to its advisory board
News The threat intelligence leader will provide strategic guidance to CyberOne’s executive team
By Daniel Todd
-
"I LOVE this company!" Looking back on 50 years of tech giant Microsoft
Opinion There have been highs, lows, laughs and lots of success in the past 5 decades for the Redmond-headquartered firm
By Maggie Holland
-
How simplicity benefits the IT partner ecosystem
Sponsored Content Across private cloud and AI adoption, simple approaches can unlock more time and money for IT teams
By ITPro
-
VCF: The key to cloud success now and in the future
Sponsored Content Private cloud offers the security and scalability that modern enterprises require
By ITPro
-
Moving Broadcom VMware licenses to subscription-based models
Sponsored Content With a committed channel, Broadcom makes the journey to subscription-based VMware licenses as smooth as possible
By ITPro
-
The CMA just dropped its probe into the Microsoft–OpenAI deal
News The CMA has dropped its probe into the partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI, saying the deal doesn't give Microsoft a controlling interest over the AI firm.
By Emma Woollacott
-
Microsoft says there’s an AI divide brewing – here’s how enterprises can get on the right side
News Research from Microsoft and Goldsmiths University suggests there is a growing 'AI divide' among enterprises adopting the technology and those sluggish to react.
By George Fitzmaurice