December 8, 2005
Axalto Holding NV and Gemplus International SA, the world's largest maker of smartcards, agree to merge in a €928 million ($1.1 billion) share swap.
On December 7, it was announced that Willkie client Axalto Holding NV and Gemplus International SA, the world's largest maker of smartcards, have agreed to merge in a €928 million ($1.1 billion) share swap. The combined company, which will comprise 11,000 employees, is expected to generate sales of about €1.8 billion this year. Additionally, the merger is expected to boost operating profits by approximately €85 million after three years. The combined company, which will be a global leader in digital security, will be called Gemalto and registered in the Netherlands. The deal was handled by Paris partners Laurent Faugérolas and Stéphane Sabatier, and associates Jon Lyman, Etienne Boursican, Jérémy Scemama and Duncan Williams.