DATAGROUP SE Appoints KKR's Laura Schroder to Supervisory Board Following Strategic Partnership

DATAGROUP SE, a leading German IT service provider, announced the appointment of Laura Schroder to its Supervisory Board effective immediately. Schroder, who serves as Managing Director at global investment firm KKR, joins the board following her appointment by the court, succeeding Manfred Boschatzke who stepped down on November 29, 2025.

This appointment follows the establishment of a strategic partnership between DATAGROUP and KKR in November 2025. KKR became an investor alongside founder and Supervisory Board Chairman Max H.-H. Schaber, with the stated goal of supporting the company's growth and strengthening its position as a leading provider of secure and sovereign IT services. The addition of Schroder to the supervisory body represents a direct integration of the new strategic investor's perspective into the company's highest level of governance.

Laura Schroder brings significant experience in the IT services sector to the DATAGROUP board. She joined KKR in 2021 as part of the European Private Equity team and has led numerous investments in Germany, with a particular focus on IT services. Her career began at 3i Group in 2011, and she later worked at Advent International before moving to KKR. She holds an MA in Banking and Finance from the University of St. Gallen.

For DATAGROUP, the appointment signals a deepening of its relationship with a major global financial partner at a board level. The company, which employs approximately 3,700 people across Germany, designs, implements, and operates IT infrastructures and business applications. Its CORBOX product provides full-service IT workplace support for medium and large enterprises as well as public authorities. The company pursues growth both organically and through acquisitions, employing strategies it labels "buy and turn around" and "buy and build" to actively participate in market consolidation.

The implications of this board appointment are multifaceted for the industry and DATAGROUP's stakeholders. For the German IT services sector, it underscores the continued interest and investment from major global private equity firms, potentially accelerating consolidation trends. For DATAGROUP, it provides direct governance input from an investor with a proven track record in the sector, which could influence future strategic decisions, particularly regarding mergers and acquisitions. The move strengthens the link between corporate strategy and investment strategy, potentially enhancing DATAGROUP's capacity to execute its growth plans. The company's focus on providing secure and sovereign IT services aligns with broader European trends toward digital sovereignty, a sector where strategic investment and experienced governance are increasingly valuable. More information about DATAGROUP can be found at https://www.datagroup.de.