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Claranet picks up Six Degrees

Combination will create significant player in the European managed services market

Simon Quicke
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Published: 29 Jun 2026 15:30

Consolidation across the managed services market has continued, with Claranet picking up Six Degrees in a move that will bolster the channel player’s capabilities around cloud, security networking and artificial intelligence (AI).

Both firms have used M&A in the past as a means of extending their reach and increasing their skills base, and the combination of the two, operating under the Claranet brand, will create a business with 3,500 staff and revenues in excess of €650m. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Six Degrees is a UK-based outfit that has established a solid reputation in the managed services space, and is seen as an opportunity for Claranet to increase its commitment to the market here.

The plan is to bring together Clarinet’s abilities in cloud, security, data, AI and applications, networks, and marketplace solutions, and add in Six Degrees’ expertise in secure infrastructure and hybrid cloud.

Charles Nasser, CEO and founder of The Claranet Group, said the acquisition would create a significant managed services player that operated across Europe.

“From a market and customer perspective, this is a great opportunity to bring together the experience and resources of two great companies to deliver a broader service portfolio to benefit our customers,” he said. “It’s our mission to help our customers make the most of internet-enabled technology, and the acquisition of Six Degrees will enable us to continue to deliver on this promise.

“This announcement confirms our commitment to continue investing in our services and long-term relationships with our customers and staff,” added Nasser.

Managed services support

In response, Vince DeLuca, CEO of Six Degrees, said the deal would benefit its staff and those customers that were looking for managed services support.

“The acquisition reflects continued demand from organisations looking for trusted managed service partners that can simplify complex technology environments, improve resilience, strengthen cyber security and support cloud transformation,” he said. “Claranet’s enlarged UK business will continue to help customers modernise and protect their organisations through secure, scalable and high-performance IT services.”

Claranet has been picking up businesses across Europe, including AddOn back in autumn 2022, which provided more coverage in Germany and Switzerland.

Nasser has made comments in the past about the ambition of Claranet to become the European leader in delivering managed services, and has used acquisitions to support that ambition over the past decade.

“Customer trust is central to everything we do,” he said. “Across the Claranet group, we are continually investing in the right expertise, technology and service to support our customers’ success now and into the future.”

The volume of deals across the MSP world has been ticking over so far this year, as the likes of Kubus, Version 1 and Advania comntinue to bolster their geographic coverage, customer bases and skilled staffers.

The pieces are being put in place to ensure that continues in the second half. The MSP channel has seen investments by private equity in recent weeks as more seek the financial backing to fund acquisitions that will improve their competitive position.

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