Madagascar’s richest man Ylias Akbaraly’s Thomson Broadcast finalizes GatesAir acquisition

Led by Madagascar’s richest man Ylias Akbaraly, Thomson Broadcast has finalized the acquisition of GatesAir, a subsidiary of The Gores Group, a leader in wireless and over-the-air content delivery solutions for radio and TV broadcasters.

The acquisition comes three months after Thomson Broadcast, a subsidiary of Madagascar-based Sipromad Group, signed a definitive agreement with U.S. private equity firm The Gores Group to acquire GatesAir.

The synergy of Thomson Broadcast and GatesAir, both of which have experienced rapid growth recently due to the North American Spectrum Repack program, will strengthen the companies’ creativity, design, and product efficiency, while broadening their broadcast solution offerings.

“The acquisition of GatesAir is an excellent and significant step for Thomson Broadcast to further strengthen its worldwide leadership in the rapidly evolving world of broadcast technology,” Akbaraly, chairman of Thomson Broadcast, said. “Today marks the beginning of an exciting new era in the rich history of two companies and trusted brands that have each delighted customers for over 100 years.”

Akbaraly explained that the acquisition aligns with his company’s plans to become a dominant player on the U.S. market. The deal will allow The Gores Group and Thomson Broadcast to work as strategic partners, supporting each other’s growth and the development of the industry on the whole.

He went on to state that Thomson Broadcast is well positioned to ensure the long-term success of GatesAir’s operations thanks to its global platform and commercial and innovation expertise.

Thomson Broadcast is a wholly owned subsidiary of Group Sipromad, a Madagascar-based diversified conglomerate founded in 1972 by Akbaraly’s father Sermamod Akbaraly.

Akbaraly took over the presidency of the group from his father in the early 2000s. Since that time, he has managed its transition from a family business into a well-diversified conglomerate that operates in leading sectors of the Malagasy economy, such as tourism and industry.