Why Trust Outperforms Control

Advania, a portfolio company of Goldman Sachs Alternatives, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved plans to give organisations in every market access to multi-tenant sovereign AI clouds across its seven operational countries. Building on proven setups in Sweden and Iceland, the Board’s decision marks the expansion of this model to all remaining markets. The initiative will deliver a key competitive advantage for Advania’s customers by enabling companies and public sector organisations to securely utilise their critical and sensitive data, ensuring compliance with national regulations while turning that data into a true competitive advantage.

Advania has acquired smartvokat GmbH, a German-based specialist in digital transformation for the legal, risk, and compliance community. The acquisition strengthens Advania's Transformation & Automation offering in Nordics, UK, and Ireland.

Founded in Düsseldorf, smartvokat has established itself as a recognized advisor to international enterprises, helping modernize business-critical processes in legal, compliance, and contract management. The team brings deep domain knowledge and experience in digital strategies, workflow-based solutions, and AI-enabled consultancy services that address corporate in-house teams who are facing increasingly complex regulatory and governance requirements.

Across Europe, the new EU cybersecurity directive (NIS2) is being implemented into national law, but not everywhere at the same pace. Denmark and Finland have already completed the process, while Sweden and Ireland are in the final phase of preparing their legislation. Iceland and Norway, though not EU member states, will also implement the directive through the EEA. The UK is likewise updating its national cybersecurity framework to align with the core purpose of NIS2.

Advania UK has appointed James Hardy as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Geoff Kneen, who is stepping down after more than eight years with the company and a long career in the technology sector. Since entering the UK market in 2021, Advania has brought together Content+Cloud, Azzure IT, CCS Media, and Servium to form a unified business of 1,600 employees. The company is now among the largest IT services providers in the UK, with a strong platform to take the next step in its journey: helping more Mid-market clients simplify technology choices, unlock value, and succeed in an ever-changing environment.

Advania has acquired Gompute, a high-performance computing (HPC) and AI infrastructure platform, from Nordic data center services leader atNorth. The acquisition includes Gompute's skilled teams in Sweden and Spain, who will continue their work as part of Advania Sweden. This strengthens Advania Sweden's market position while enabling clients to meet strict data sovereignty requirements. The transaction is pending regulatory approval and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2025.

Why shadow AI use is the corporate risk no one wants to talk about.

You probably have employees using ChatGPT at work right now. They might be summarizing a contract, rewriting emails, or analyzing client data. Maybe they even paid for the subscription themselves.
It feels efficient. Productive. Smart.
It might also be illegal ...

Advania today announced the acquisition of The AI Framework, a distinguished AI consultancy recognized for deep domain expertise and award-winning performance in AI transformation. The AI Framework brings proven expertise in AI-driven transformation, with a track record of helping retailers, telecoms, financial institutions and others navigate complex AI and digital transformation challenges. The consultancy emphasizes strategic value delivery through actionable roadmaps, responsible data governance, and scalable implementation models.

The allure of artificial intelligence can be overwhelming. With headlines promising revolutionary transformation and vendors showcasing impressive capabilities, many organizations find themselves rushing to adopt the latest AI tools without a clear roadmap. This approach, while understandable given competitive pressure, often leads to disappointing results and wasted investment. The most successful AI implementations follow a different path: strategy first, tools second.

Advania has officially opened the Dreamhouse — a landmark logistics and refurbishment facility designed to refurbish one million IT devices annually. Located in Enköping, Sweden, the Dreamhouse is now fully operational, powering public and private organizations with devices that have up to 70% lower carbon impact — yet are so powerful, users can’t tell the difference from brand-new ones.

Four fundamental shifts are reshaping how organisations operate, compete, and create value. Drawing from insights in our 2024 Annual Report, we explore how these forces are creating new opportunities and challenges – and why we're already building the solutions our customers need to thrive in this new landscape.

In the Swedish municipality of Höganäs, sustainability moves beyond policy into practice. In partnership with Advania, the IT department has established a circular system that extends device lifecycles while reducing environmental impact and operational costs.

Note: This interview is featured in the 2024 Annual and Sustainability Report.

Fish, fuel, and fjord routes – Advania’s new tool is leading to cost-savings and sustainable choices for a Norwegian fishing industry giant Pelagia. "With this tool, we are saving double-digit percentages on fuel," says Frode Vatne, Chief Information Officer at Pelagia.