DNV acquires cybersecurity firm Nixu in €98m deal

By Gloria Methri

DNV, the global risk management, and quality assurance provider, has announced the acquisition of Helsinki-based cyber security firm Nixu. The announcement follows a public tender offer that resulted in DNV taking ownership of more than 93% of Nixu’s shares.

DNV will combine its cyber security business with Nixu following a process to acquire its remaining shares and de-list the company from the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange. The 98-million-euro deal aims to create one of Europe’s fastest-growing cyber security services businesses. 

Together, DNV and Nixu will safeguard demanding IT and industrial control system environments and build business resilience across multiple industries. A combined team of more than 500 cyber security experts will provide a portfolio of consulting and managed services to manage cyber risks.

Remi Eriksen, Group President and CEO, DNV said, “By joining forces with Nixu we will make cyberspace a more secure place with even greater impact than either company could achieve alone. Together, we will shape the future through cyber security, enabling more than 100,000 customers, their systems, and their supply chains to manage emerging risks.”

Nixu CEO Teemu Salmi will lead the combined cyber security services business, bringing together experts from DNV, Nixu, and Applied Risk – an industrial cyber security specialist acquired by DNV in 2021. The combined business will operate across Europe from hubs in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and Romania with a focus on rapid organic growth and further strategic acquisitions and partnerships globally.

“This is an exciting time. With more than 500 cyber security professionals and expertise across multiple disciplines, we are creating a leading European cyber security services business. DNV and Nixu will not only join forces with each other, but we will also work in partnership with our customers and the security community at large to drive innovation and industry best practices to ensure business resilience and safeguard society,” said Teemu Salmi, CEO, Nixu.