In case you missed it, Docebo announced the acquisition of its value-added reseller (VAR) partner, Skillslive. (You can read the full press release here.)
If there’s one thing my years in PR and Comms have taught me, it’s when there’s an M&A announcement, the FAQs aren’t far behind. So I sat down with Martino Bagini, Docebo’s Chief Corporate Development Officer, to get the answers to (what I anticipate will be) your most pressing questions.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Skillslive acquisition.
Ronda Morra: Can you tell me a bit more about Skillslive? Who are they? How long have they been a Docebo partner? And what was the reason for acquiring them?
Martino Bagini: Sure. We first partnered with Skillslive as a Melbourne, Australia based value-added reseller back in 2018.
When we were planning our expansion into APAC, we saw Skillslive as an integral part of successfully executing on our strategy. They know the region and, being a reseller, they know Docebo products and how to sell and support them. In addition to being a local player who can help accelerate our time-to-market by immediately adding specialized skills, talent and infrastructure, they also complement our team culture and our values—which made them a natural fit.
Ronda: Last year, Docebo expanded into EMEA, opening a new office in Germany. And now you’re further expanding your footprint into APAC. What was the draw to the region? Why APAC? Why now?
Martino: We believe having a physical presence and knowing local cultures and customs to help us expand into new accounts is extremely important to our success in enterprise selling in those countries. It’s also critical to providing the hands-on services and support our existing customers deserve. Last year we opened a new office in Munich Germany as part of our planned EMEA expansion. In the months that followed we focused on building out a team of local talent to provide localized support and implementation capabilities to our customers in the region and business development to expand in the region.
And now, we’re doing the same thing in APAC. APAC’s a very tech-focused and innovative market, and the recent shift from the traditional education system to e-learning is really propelling growth in the area. Which means the time is right for us to establish a physical presence. We’ve already developed a customer base through our Australia-based staff and local VARs, but entering APAC in this capacity will allow us to sell into the region with greater ease and better serve and support our rapidly growing customer base.
Ronda: So what does this expansion mean for current Skillslive customers, Docebo partners, and Docebo customers in the APAC region? What kind of changes can they expect?
Martino: Some acquisitions can be quite disruptive—especially for customers. Skillslive customers can rest assured there won’t be any changes to their current products, services, or who they work with at Skillslive. What will change, however, will be the name of the Australia office to “Docebo ANZ,” and we’ll be increasing the number of local resources available to dedicate to the success of existing customers and new ones as we grow our client base in the area.
Ronda: Lastly, what exactly does this acquisition consist of? (Any proprietary products, technologies, patents, etc.?)
Martino: So, in this case, because Skillslive is a reseller and consulting agency, there aren’t any products, technologies, or patents associated with the acquisition. We’re essentially adding their regional expertise and commercial and professional services capabilities to the company.
Led by Gavin Russell, the Skillslive team brings more than 80 years of combined industry experience with them. We’re incredibly excited to be adding so much talent and expertise to the Docebo team.
And there you have it! Hopefully this addresses your burning questions about the acquisition. But if you still have questions, feel free to reach out directly to Martino (martino.bagini@docebo.com).