SAP, Oracle Partner Syntax Acquires Linke

‘[Linke] brings a strong portfolio of solutions for SAP pre-installed systems on the AWS Marketplace including SAP S/4HANA. If that’s not a unique offering, it’s very uncommon. Linke also brings AWS Connect to provide customers with direct access to AWS services directly from SAP,’ says Syntax global CEO Christian Primeau.

Syntax, a provider of managed services for multi-cloud and multi-ERP application deployments, said Thursday that it has acquired Linke, an European provider of services for migrating SAP environments to the Amazon Web Services cloud.

With the acquisition, Syntax gets the opportunity to expand its European customer base while gaining access to new SAP-on-AWS services capabilities, said Christian Primeau, global CEO of the Montreal-based MSP.

Syntax, a member of the Elite 150 in CRN’s 2021 Managed Service Provider 500 list, focuses on cloud-based mission-critical application management for customers, with over 1,400 people working with over 500 clients worldwide, Primeau (pictured) told CRN.

[Related: SAP Launches Software And Services Package To Speed Customer Digital Transformation, Cloud Migration]

The company focuses on deploying and migrating Oracle and SAP applications in the AWS and Microsoft Azure public clouds as well as in private and hybrid clouds, he said.

Linke brings Syntax an expanded global presence in Spain, Portugal, France and the Nordic countries, Primeau said.

“It also brings a strong portfolio of solutions for SAP pre-installed systems on the AWS Marketplace including SAP S/4HANA,” he said. “If that’s not a unique offering, it’s very uncommon. Linke also brings AWS Connect to provide customers with direct access to AWS services directly from SAP.”

That AWS Connect capability is important as it allows customers to do things like archive SAP documents directly to AWS, or provides bi-directional traffic so SAP applications can leverage AWS capabilities, he said.

With the acquisition, Syntax plans to leverage Linke’s solutions across its own worldwide customer base, he said.

Linke is Syntax’s fourth acquisition since it was founded in 2016. These included Core Services Corp in 2017, which expanded Syntax’s Oracle expertise and offerings; EmeraldCube in 2019, which brought it JD Edwards expertise and solutions; and Freudenberg IT in 2019, which brought AWS expertise and technologies.

Looking ahead, Syntax expects to continue the solid organic growth that it has enjoyed, and will complement that with its merger and acquisition strategy to help expand capabilities when needed, Primeau said.

“We want to make sure we help our customers in a deeper and deeper way,” he said. “We will also expand on its ‘Beyond ERP’ strategy to help customers get more business insights and business agility from their applications and help accelerate their digital transformation.”

Syntax is not for sale, but not for lack of trying on the part of potential acquirers, Primeau said.

“The phone is ringing every day,” he said. “There’s a lot of capital in the market. But we’re well supported by [Montreal-based parent company] Novacap. We have everything we need to grow organically as a company.”