The Federal Association for Mergers & Acquisitions (BMA) has awarded Max Schaber, founder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DATAGROUP, with the M&A Award for Lifetime Achievement. This prestigious recognition highlights Schaber's exceptional contributions to the mergers and acquisitions landscape in Germany and underscores the critical importance of long-term M&A strategies for sustainable business growth.
The M&A Award, established in 2023, has rapidly become a significant platform for companies and consultants operating in the M&A sector. The annual ceremony in Berlin serves to spotlight successful, innovative, and sustainable transactions while promoting industry best practices. Awards are distributed across ten categories, with judging criteria including strategic relevance, economic success, innovation level, and sustainability considerations.
Schaber's recognition stems from his pioneering work in mergers and acquisitions that has fundamentally shaped DATAGROUP's growth trajectory. Since the company's initial public offering in 2006, DATAGROUP has successfully acquired and integrated more than 30 companies into its organizational structure. The company's consistent implementation of buy and turn around and buy and build strategies has made substantial contributions to the consolidation of Germany's IT services market, demonstrating how strategic acquisitions can drive market transformation.
What distinguishes DATAGROUP's acquisition approach is its emphasis on preserving the acquired companies' identities, customer relationships, and service portfolios. This methodology not only enhances the corporate group's overall performance but also provides employees from acquired companies with long-term job security and career prospects. The company's integration strategy has been particularly noted for its effectiveness in seamlessly incorporating new organizations while maintaining operational continuity.
Schaber emphasized that the award represents not just personal recognition but also acknowledges the dedication of DATAGROUP's approximately 3,700 employees across Germany. Their collective expertise and entrepreneurial spirit have positioned DATAGROUP as one of Germany's leading IT service providers. The company's M&A success is rooted in partnership-oriented thinking, sustainable integration practices, and the fundamental belief that people remain central to every organizational transformation.
Through its CORBOX product, DATAGROUP functions as a comprehensive full-service provider, designing, implementing, and operating IT infrastructures and business applications for medium and large enterprises as well as public authorities. The company maintains its growth momentum through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, actively participating in the ongoing consolidation within Germany's IT services industry.
Schaber's career exemplifies how responsible, future-oriented acquisition policies can successfully balance economic objectives with social responsibility. This recognition from the Federal Association for Mergers & Acquisitions validates how strategic M&A approaches can simultaneously drive market consolidation while prioritizing employee welfare and sustainable business practices, setting a benchmark for the industry.
