Munich – 4 July 2024

EQS Group, a leading international cloud software provider for corporate compliance, investor relations and sustainability reporting, today announces that it has entered into exclusive negotiations for the acquisition of French company Data Legal Drive, a key player in the GDPR and anti-corruption compliance software market. The strategic move will confirm EQS Group's leading position in the European compliance SaaS market, and strengthen the company's offering specifically in the area of data protection and GDPR compliance.

“The acquisition of Data Legal Drive will be a significant milestone for EQS Group and will bolster our expertise, particularly for GDPR compliance,” said Achim Weick, founder and CEO of EQS Group. “Since the regulation came into force in 2018, the cumulative fines exceeded €4 billion, highlighting the ongoing demand for GDPR support. With our collective track record in compliance and technology innovation, we will be in an ideal position to expand our services and address our customers’ compliance needs even more comprehensively. We look forward to welcoming Data Legal Drive's employees and customers to the EQS family as we work together to reinforce our leading position in the compliance SaaS market.”

Sylvain Staub, founder and CEO of Data Legal Drive, said: “With the experience of EQS Group in building a comprehensive compliance platform, we believe they are the ideal partner for our next stage of growth. Our strategy is to become the leader in compliance in Europe. Given the potential of our respective targets, we were convinced that EQS Group was what we were looking for to achieve significant growth in this business. The power of our combined expertise and services, both in compliance and digital innovation, will bring immense additional value to our customers.”

Founded in in 2018, when GDPR became European law, Data Legal Drive has swiftly emerged as a leading independent compliance software provider in France. Data Legal Drive’s solutions for GDPR and anti-corruption compliance are designed to empower organizations to navigate the complex landscape of data protection and regulatory requirements. Through the acquisition, EQS Group stands to gain valuable insight and experience from Data Legal Drive's legal and technology experts, offering significant synergies with EQS Group's product portfolio and customer base. In addition, Data Legal Drive will be able to leverage EQS Group’s extensive industry experience and market-leading position in the RegTech and compliance space, as well as consolidate its offering around AI and regulation stemming from the new EU AI Act. There are currently no changes planned for the services used by existing Data Legal Drive customers.

EQS Group expects to finalize the transaction in the coming weeks.

Press contacts

EQS Group:
Christina Jahn 
Tel.: +49 89 444430133 
E-Mail: christina.jahn@eqs.com 
 

Data Legal Drive:
Floriane Bergonzi
Tel.: +33 611 77 62 57
E-Mail: floriane.bergonzi@datalegaldrive.com

About Data Legal Drive

Data Legal Drive is a leading French provider of GDPR and anti-corruption software, with over 10,000 customer organizations and 50,000 users – compliance officers and data protection officers - in 50 countries. The company is revolutionizing the sector by integrating AI into its solution, guaranteeing efficiency for businesses and public bodies.

Labelled "Best Workplace Experience", included in the TECH500 ranking and with a parity index of 92/100. Founded in 2018, the company has 50 employees.

www.datalegaldrive.com

About EQS Group  

EQS Group is a leading international cloud provider in the areas of corporate compliance, investor relations and sustainability reporting. Thousands of companies across the world use EQS Group’s products to build trust by reliably and securely meeting complex regulatory requirements, minimizing risks and transparently reporting on business performance and its impact on society and the environment. 

EQS Group’s products are bundled in the cloud-based software EQS COCKPIT. This allows compliance processes in the areas of whistleblower protection and case handling, policy management and approval processes to be managed just as professionally as business partners, insider lists and reporting obligations. Listed companies also benefit from a global newswire, investor targeting and contact management, as well as IR websites, digital reports and webcasts for efficient and secure investor communication. In addition, EQS Group provides software for the fulfillment of human rights due diligence obligations along corporate supply chains, as well as for compliant sustainability reporting. 

EQS Group was founded in Munich in 2000. Today, the group employs around 500 professionals and is represented in the world’s most important financial centers. 

https://www.eqs.com/