Lumen EMEA acquisition gives Colt an edge, says CEO
Summary
Gilder provided additional insight during her briefing, noting that the deal expands Colt’s European business to give it an annual revenues run rate (in Europe) of about €2.3bn, making it slightly bigger than enterprise services rivals Tata Communications and GTT (which emerged from bankruptcy protection earlier this year). “Lots of companies are investing in AI but this means greater demands on their IT and digital infrastructure and we have to be aware of the impact this has on the environment. And at a time when telcos are seeking to reinvent and rebadge themselves for the digital age, Gilder says Colt is sticking with the traditional nomenclature even as it transforms to meet its customers’ needs. “When you buy a company you have to integrate it and the one thing I am not naive about is how difficult this is… it’s important to understand the complexity – it is like solving a puzzle in many ways. We always talk about the assets that an acquisition brings but not so much the people,” and Gilder is aware of how important it is for the 1,400 or so new “Coltees” to feel like they are joining a welcoming corporate culture that will make them and Lumen’s EMEA customers want to stay put.