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Burges Salmon’s Defence M&A team acts on Amiosec and Penten merger to create global provider of secure mobile communications and AI-enabled cyber defence technologies

By Alex Lloyd

6 May 2025 2 min read

We have advised on the merger between UK cyber innovator, Amiosec Ltd, and Australian digital defence innovator, Penten Pty Ltd, creating PentenAmio, one of the largest and most advanced teams globally dedicated to secure classified mobile communications and AI-enabled defence for government and military organisations.

The merger creates an organisation with more than £60 million in annual revenue, c.300 security-cleared professionals, sovereign facilities in both Australia and the UK, and a growing customer base across the Allied nations. The company’s scalable encryption and deception solutions are already trusted, sovereign-certified, and actively deployed in classified environments by more than 20 national security and defence organisations across the UK, Australia, and Canada.

The deal also enables PentenAmio to invest further in R&D and talent, expand its reach into NATO-aligned jurisdictions, and take a sustained leadership role in global security innovation.

The Burges Salmon team advising Amiosec was led by partner Alex Lloyd and associate Chris Doherty from the firm’s Defence M&A team.

“Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, rising digital threats and increased UK and European defence spending, PentenAmio is purpose-built to deploy its scalable and deep tech solutions to support businesses and governments across the world. We’re extremely proud of our role in facilitating this transformative deal for our client. Burges Salmon has over 30 years of experience working with the Defence sector and the depth of our expertise means we are well positioned to support our clients navigate through these sensitive and intricate mandates.”

Alex Lloyd, partner

“This is an important deal in the cyber security/digital defence sector in the UK and Australia and we’re grateful to Alex, Chris and the Burges Salmon team for guiding us with expertise, patience and humour through what was a complex M&A transaction with all the regulatory and commercial complexities that come with successfully executing a significant international transaction in this market.”

Adrian Cunningham, PentenAmio’s Executive Co-Chair

For over 30 years, Burges Salmon has been providing legal advice to the government and private sector organisations in the defence sector. The firm’s expertise covers all aspects of the defence sector, including advising on corporate ventures, international collaborations, cybersecurity, technology, intellectual property and more.