Press
Waterland sells majority stake in Skaylink to Vodafone
Munich, 30 October 2025 – European private equity firm Waterland Private Equity has sold its majority stake in Skaylink, a leading IT specialist for public cloud solutions and digital transformation, to Vodafone. With the acquisition, Vodafone will strategically enhance its enterprise offering by integrating Skaylink’s well-established capabilities in the cloud segment. Over the course of its more than five-year partnership with Waterland, Skaylink has experienced exceptional growth, establishing itself as one of the leading providers of cloud services in Germany and Europe. The transaction marks the next phase of Skaylink’s development, enabling it to leverage Vodafone’s global telecommunications and IT expertise to unlock additional growth opportunities.
Today, Skaylink is one of the leading cloud specialists in Germany and Europe, generating revenues of more than EUR 100 million and employing over 500 people across Europe. In addition to its strong presence in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the company has successfully expanded into other European markets, including Denmark and Lithuania. Guided by its vision to accompany companies throughout their entire cloud journey, Skaylink now supports more than 1,000 clients – from mid-sized businesses to multinational corporations – in modernising their IT and cloud infrastructures. As a strategic partner of Microsoft and AWS, Skaylink is among the top cloud service providers in Germany and Europe and has repeatedly been recognised as a leading partner by both hyperscalers.
Skaylink’s core business centres on the design, implementation and operation of high-performance public cloud solutions based on Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Building on its deep technical expertise in these environments, the company helps clients migrate securely and efficiently to the cloud. In parallel, Skaylink is expanding in the private and sovereign cloud segment, offering bespoke solutions that meet the highest standards of data protection, security and compliance. In addition, the company is actively investing in artificial intelligence as a key growth driver, supporting clients in developing and deploying scalable AI applications.
In recent years, Skaylink has achieved strong organic growth across all business areas, complemented by selective strategic acquisitions. Through its partnership with Waterland, the company has significantly broadened its service offering and positioned itself as a fully integrated partner for digital transformation.
Gregor Hengst, Managing Partner at Waterland, comments: “Over the past five years, Skaylink has demonstrated an impressive trajectory towards being one of the leading providers. In a previously fragmented market with numerous niche providers, Skaylink today offers a comprehensive service portfolio, guiding clients along the entire cloud journey. Both management and the wider team have shown outstanding entrepreneurial achievements. We are confident that, under its new ownership, Skaylink will continue to capture significant growth opportunities.”
Frank Strecker, CEO of Skaylink, says: “From day one, our ambition has been to take cloud services to the next level. This is only possible with an exceptional team of experts who bring diverse perspectives and deep expertise, creating tangible value for our clients and partners alike. We are proud to have built an environment that continuously pushes the boundaries of cloud and security technologies. Waterland has been a reliable and forward-looking partner throughout this journey. Going forward, as part of the Vodafone Group, we look forward to combining our strengths with the resources of a global ICT leader to drive the next stage of our growth.”
Waterland is one of Europe’s most active private equity firms and has extensive experience in digitalisation and IT services. Current partner companies in this area include:
– Netconomy, the market leader for SAP customer experience in the DACH region;
– Hyand, the German expert in customised enterprise software;
– Netgo, one of the leading IT service providers in Germany;
– 9altitudes, a specialist in the implementation of enterprise software based in Belgium.
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close by the end of March 2026.
Advisers to Waterland included Arma Partners (M&A), BCG (Commercial), Hengeler Müller (Legal), PwC (Financial) and EY (Tax).
ABOUT SKAYLINK
Skaylink GmbH is the leading service provider for cloud and digital transformation. Its global team of over 500 cloud enthusiasts creates unique cloud solutions that enable companies and the people who make them what they are to reach their full potential. With a mix of proprietary tools and methods, Skaylink accompanies its customers throughout their entire cloud journey. Find out more about Skaylink at skaylink.com.
ABOUT VODAFONE
Vodafone is one of the leading telecoms companies in Germany. Vodafone`s networks keep Germany connected: people and machines, families and friends as well as politics, business and society. Millions of people are Vodafone customers – whether they are surfing, making calls or watching TV; whether they are networking their office, their home or their factory with Vodafone technology.The Düsseldorf-based company provides a comprehensive portfolio of internet, mobile, fixed and TV services. As digital transformation expert to German business and industry, Vodafone is a trusted partner to enterprises of all sizes, from startups and SMEs to DAX-listed corporations. Vodafone Germany employs about 14,000 people and generates total revenue of around 13 billion euros with almost 30 million mobile customers, over 10 million broadband customers, approximately 9 million TV customers and numerous digital solutions. Vodafone is a key contributor to the development of Germany’s infrastructure, providing gigabit speeds to more than two-thirds of the German households. Together with its partner OXG, Vodafone will build up to seven million new FTTH fibre connections in the coming years. With its 5G network, Vodafone reaches more than 93% of the population in Germany. Vodafone’s NB IoT network for the industrial and business sectors is delivering IoT connectivity on almost 97% of Germany’s total territory. Vodafone Germany is the largest operating company of the Vodafone Group, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, contributing around 33% of its revenues. Vodafone Group has over 355 million mobile and fixed customers and one of the world’s largest IoT platforms.
ABOUT WATERLAND
Waterland is an independent European private equity firm committed to supporting entrepreneurs in realising their growth ambitions. Managing over €14 billion in investor commitments, Waterland operates across 11 offices in nine countries, with a team of more than 200 professionals.
Founded in 1999, Waterland is an authorised alternative investment fund manager, serving exclusively professional investors under the supervision of the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM). Waterland Private Equity Investments B.V. is listed in the AFM’s official register of fund managers. For more information: https://waterlandpe.com
Media contact for Skaylink:
Kafka Kommunikation GmbH & Co KG
Noel Lach
T: +49 (0) 89 74747058-28
E: skaylink@kafka-kommunikation.de
Media contact for Waterland:
ASSET Communications
Sebastian Köhnlechner
T: +49 163 7 83 43 97
E: koehnlechner@asset-communication.de