Atos Group has agreed to sell its South American operations to Brazilian technology company Semantix, marking a significant step in the French IT services firm’s ongoing restructuring and a major consolidation move in the region’s AI and data services market.
The binding agreement covers Atos’ activities across Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, and Peru, where the business employs around 2,800 professionals. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The divestment forms part of Atos’ broader “Genesis” transformation plan, which aims to restore sustainable growth and improve profitability by narrowing the company’s focus to core geographies and strategic assets. In recent years, Atos has been reshaping its portfolio to concentrate on higher-value segments such as artificial intelligence, cloud-enabled services, and secure digital solutions, while exiting operations considered non-core to its long-term strategy.
For Semantix, the acquisition represents a major expansion in both scale and scope. Founded in Brazil in 2010, the company built its reputation as a data and analytics specialist and has steadily grown into a broader AI-focused services provider. Absorbing Atos’ South American operations would significantly expand Semantix’s geographic reach, client base, and technology ecosystem, positioning it as one of the largest AI and data enterprise services providers in the region.
The combined organization is expected to benefit from Atos’ established operational capabilities in South America, including delivery of complex, large-scale digital transformation projects for enterprise and public sector clients. Atos has long emphasized its regional culture of diversity, inclusion, participatory leadership, and continuous training, elements that Semantix says it intends to integrate as part of the consolidation.
Once the transaction closes, which is expected in the coming months subject to customary closing conditions, leadership roles will also shift. Nelson Campelo, currently Head of Atos South America, is set to become CEO of Semantix. Leonardo Santos Poça D’água, Semantix’s founder and current CEO, will move into the role of Executive Chairman, focusing on long-term strategy, innovation, and expansion.
Both companies frame the deal as a catalyst for growth rather than a retrenchment. For Atos, it represents a deliberate step away from a geographically broad but operationally complex footprint, allowing management to focus resources on areas with higher strategic priority. For Semantix, it accelerates ambitions to play a leading role across regulated and data-intensive sectors in South America, including financial services, healthcare, utilities, telecommunications, agribusiness, government, and automotive.
The transaction also reflects a wider trend in the global IT services industry, where regional players with strong data and AI capabilities are gaining prominence as multinational firms streamline operations and refocus portfolios. As enterprises across South America continue to invest in analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital modernization, the creation of a larger, regionally anchored AI and data services provider could reshape competitive dynamics in the market.
Executive Insights FAQ
Why is Atos selling its South American operations?
The sale supports Atos’ Genesis plan to refocus on core geographies and higher-margin AI, cloud, and security offerings.
How large is the business being sold?
The operations employ around 2,800 professionals across six South American countries.
What does Semantix gain from the acquisition?
Greater scale, broader geographic coverage, an expanded client base, and stronger delivery capabilities in AI and data services.
Will leadership change after the transaction?
Yes, Nelson Campelo will become CEO of Semantix, while founder Leonardo Santos Poça D’água will serve as Executive Chairman.
When is the deal expected to close?
The transaction is expected to close in the coming months, subject to regulatory and other closing conditions.
