When Adapt IT joined Volaris Group, it created a win-win relationship for both parties, with Adapt IT growing as an M&A leader in Africa within our global framework

Although Volaris Group has been successfully acquiring software businesses since 1995, it wasn’t until 2022 that we entered the African market. Through the acquisition of Adapt IT, an established acquirer of software businesses based in South Africa, we expanded our footprint and gained deep local expertise in how to conduct M&A in the continent.

With Volaris and Adapt IT both having common interests in acquiring vertical market software businesses, the acquisition has brought benefits to both parties. Since joining Volaris, Adapt IT has expanded its reach with the help of the global network at Volaris and Constellation Software. As part of Volaris Group, Adapt IT brings permanent capital, group-wide best practices, and a promise never to sell the businesses it acquires.

Adapt IT’s track record of M&A and business operations in Africa

Before joining forces with Volaris Group, Adapt IT already had a long history of doing business in Africa. At the time of its acquisition by Volaris in 2022, it had already been in business for 26 years, made 16 acquisition, and been a public company for 24 of those years.

Being acquired by Volaris Group set it on a new path — one that involved being delisted from the JSE and becoming part of a larger, more global software acquirer’s network.

“Adapt IT is a solid business with an experienced leadership team,” said Mike Dufton at the time the deal closed. He was the Portfolio Leader overseeing the acquisition at the time, and is now the CEO of Volaris Group.

“The acquisition is a wonderful South African success story,” said Tiffany Dunsdon, who was CEO of Adapt IT at the time of acquisition, and is now an Acquiring Group Leader at Volaris Group. “With Volaris as our permanent home, Adapt IT will have the opportunity to expand to many more countries and customers around the globe.”

Indeed, since the acquisition, Adapt IT has gained access to new growth opportunities while maintaining a strong customer base in Africa.

At the time that Adapt IT joined Volaris Group, it employed more than 1,000 employees who served more than 10,000 customers across 55 countries. Joining Constellation Software meant joining a company with greater scale — one with more than 60,000 employees and 125,000 customers in more than 100 countries.

Adapt IT’s roots are in Africa, and so is most of its business activity. As of 2026, 76% of its customers are in South Africa, and another 14% are spread across the rest of Africa.

Outside of Africa, Adapt IT also has customers in the Asia-Pacific, European, and Americas regions. Adapt IT acquires businesses and operates in six industries, including education, manufacturing and heavy industries, financial services, communications, hospitality, and the public sector.

Maintaining a local leadership team

In addition to maintaining most of its customer base in Africa, the leadership team remains local.

Adapt IT is still headquartered in Johannesburg, with South African offices in Durban and Cape Town. Adapt IT also maintains offices in Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Mauritius, as well as international offices in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Ireland.

The entire leadership team is based in South Africa. Adapt IT is led by CEO Tony Vicente, Director and Group Leader Nombali Mbambo, Group Finance Executive Sizo Mkombe, and the rest of the group leadership team. Being located close to their customers in the region means they are able to operate easily in the unique local business environment and drive the operational and acquisition strategy in Africa and the Middle East. The leadership pipeline is strong: 86% of existing leaders were in place at the time of acquisition or promoted internally. Internal talent development programs are a key focus of Volaris.

Adapt IT is projecting to have grown its EBITA by 2.5x since being acquired.

The leadership pipeline is strong: 81% of existing leaders were in place at acquisition or promoted internally.

One way Adapt IT has earned credibility in the local business environment: the company holds Level 1 status under South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Legislation, the highest Level rating available. Volaris Group has committed to supporting Adapt IT to maintain this status.

Volaris supported Adapt IT in setting up an education trust with a shareholding in Adapt IT. This trust directly benefits the employees and families of Adapt IT and the general communities in which Adapt IT operates.

Growth outlook ahead for Adapt IT

Being part of Volaris Group strengthens Adapt IT’s ability to acquire businesses. Since being acquired, Adapt IT has completed four acquisitions. SpaGuru and ResRequest, both acquired in 2025, are two examples of businesses that were acquired by Adapt IT with the backing of Volaris Group, continuing to deepen Adapt IT’s vertical market expertise and value to customers in hospitality.

Adapt IT’s growth is also driven through world-class peer benchmarking, and its leaders continue to see growth initiatives supported across the group.

“We have been enabled to pursue our vision at a new level,” said Scott Bredin, Operations Executive at Adapt IT and the leader of OpSUITE and IntelliPERMIT. “The expertise, capital, and operational support across the group have enabled us to expand into new markets and scale the business while continuing to invest in innovation.”

“Our association with the Volaris Group provides Adapt IT with access to a powerful global ecosystem of expertise, capital and proven practices in acquiring and growing software businesses,” said Luxolo Rubushe, Group Managing Director of Education at Adapt IT. “Tiffany plays a pivotal role in translating these strategic advantages into opportunities for growth and market expansion. Her combination of commercial insight, disciplined execution, and an appreciation for the human dimension of acquisitions embodies our belief that the true measure of M&A success is not the number of businesses acquired, but the sustainable value created over time.”

As Adapt IT continues to acquire in Africa and surrounding regions, Volaris Group looks forward to supporting M&A efforts for the group.