ARO and TalkTalk Business have announced a landmark merger that will create one of the UK’s largest independent connectivity and managed technology services providers.
The group will have around 650 employees, annual revenues of around £200m and a combined customer base of more than 70,000 organisations.
The merger brings together leading expertise in connectivity, cloud, cyber security and managed IT services to create a major new force in the UK technology market.
Initially, both businesses will continue to operate under their existing brands and from their current office locations, ensuring continuity for customers, employees and partners while integration plans progress.
Ciaran Rafferty, CEO at ARO, said: “This is a defining moment for both ARO and TalkTalk Business. Together, we are creating a business with the scale, expertise and ambition to become a leading independent provider of connectivity and managed technology services in the UK.
“By bringing together our complementary strengths, we are creating a stronger partner with broader capabilities, deeper expertise and greater capacity to invest in innovation, service delivery and long-term customer success.”
Ruth Kennedy, CEO of TalkTalk Business, said: “This merger represents another important step in our transformation into a leading managed services provider and brings together two highly complementary businesses to create a leading independent technology partner for UK organisations.
“The market is evolving rapidly, with organisations increasingly seeking technology partners that can combine strategic expertise, operational excellence and broad service capabilities at scale. This combination creates a business that is uniquely positioned to meet those expectations and support customers across every stage of their technology journey.
Ciaran Rafferty, CEO, ARO
“We are creating a platform with the scale to invest, innovate and grow. Together, we have an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in the future of the UK technology services market.”
Combining ARO’s strengths in cloud, cyber security and managed IT services with TalkTalk Business’s established expertise in connectivity, networking and communications creates a broader end-to-end technology proposition for customers across the UK.
For ARO, the merger represents an opportunity to extend its impact as part of a larger organisation with expanded capabilities, greater scale and increased capacity for investment, enabling it to support customers with an even broader range of technology solutions.
For TalkTalk Business, the merger marks another significant milestone in its evolution into a managed technology services provider following its separation from TalkTalk Group.
It also builds on the recent acquisition of Planet IT and brings together complementary expertise that further strengthens its ability to support customers with integrated connectivity, cloud, cyber security and managed IT services.
The merger is subject to final approval under the National Security and Investment Act (NSI), a process which is expected to be concluded by the end of the summer.
ARO operates from eight locations across the UK, providing local expertise alongside nationwide service delivery.
Headquartered in Salford, TalkTalk Business is one of the UK’s leading B2B telecoms and managed service providers.