The Dutch Consumer and Markets Supervisory Authority has approved a consortium of companies led by an investment firm to acquire IT company Centric. Until now, Centric was owned by founder Gerard Sandrink.

ACM has no reason Suppose the acquisition would hinder competition. That is why the authority grants permission for the takeover without conditions and without further investigation. The Don Quixote Foundation becomes the owner of Centric. Centric previously said that the majority stake is owned by Imker Capital. Centric provides IT services to several governments, among others.

This brings to an end a long saga surrounding Gerard Sandrink’s troubled IT company. He founded the company and was CEO and major shareholder for many years, but a few years ago he started making surprising choices. For example, he created a cybersecurity division, appointing the controversial Rian van Rijbroek as its head. Van Rijbroek, who has published several error- and plagiarism-ridden books on cybersecurity, has played an increasingly important role in the company in recent years. In 2023 Sandrink married Van Rijbroek..

Centric has had major problems with Sanderink ever since. There was chaos in the boardroom and several board members resigned. In 2022, Sanderink himself was suspended as a director. The organization also demanded the return of millions from Sanderink, which was lost. lose control of the companyThe unrest has had serious consequences for many Dutch companies and governments. Municipalities, among others, often use Centric software. Last year, De Nederlandsche Bank cancelled its contract with Centric due to the company’s problems.

It is not known how much Sandrink and his wife Van Rijbroek will earn from the sale. Centric does not disclose financial details of the acquisition. The company says it is happy with the acquisition agreement. “With this agreement, Centric is definitely entering calmer waters,” says CEO Peter Wacke. Imker Capital did not say exactly what it wants to do with Centric, but said the company “has a solid foundation that, despite the turbulent period, offers prospects for a sustainable and independent future.” Imker wants to “transform and strengthen Centric’s foundation in the coming years and seize future growth opportunities.”