Atos Euronext Market Solutions (AEMS) has acquired a 19.5% stake in Coexis Limited, a UK-based provider of capital markets software.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but Terry Williams, chairman, Coexis, told Finextra that AEMS would have the option to purchase the remaining shares in the firm at the end of 2008.
Williams says the funds will be used to expand the firm's sales force in the UK and US.
AEMS will also use the vendor's Syn~ technology - a standards-based engine for the execution of business processes and rules - to develop solutions that meet market requirements such as the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) and Euroclear Settlement for Euro-Zone Securities (ESES).
Jean-Marc Bouhelier, CEO of AEMS, says: "This investment will allow AEMS to continue to exceed the demands of its global customers for cost-effective, flexible and scalable leading-edge trading, clearing and trade processing solutions."
Says Williams: "Having the public backing of a technology player like AEMS with worldwide expertise in consulting, product and system integration, hosting and facilities management, as well as an ASP model gives Coexis the right opportunities for growth.
"The investment provides Coexis with the upside benefits of a large scale organisation, without losing the agility of a closely knit management team."
AEMS was created from the merger of the AtosEuronext joint venture with the Euronext.Liffe Market Solutions business.