DDA & Company advised the founders of Critical Building on the sale of the company to the construction group GSE

Paris, Oct. 7th, 2025

DDA & Company advised the four founders of Critical Building, an independent company and a recognized expert in data center engineering, on its partnership with the GSE Group. Founded in 2006, Critical Building has nearly 20 years of experience in the field of critical infrastructure. The company’s mission is to support clients in their data center deployment, construction, renovation, and optimization projects. Critical Building operates across the entire value chain, covering site selection, due diligence, strategic studies, technical design, project management assistance (AMO), project execution, audits, energy optimization, infrastructure security, innovation, commissioning, and operational support.

GSE has been developing a dedicated expertise in data centers for several years, with a clear European ambition fully aligned with the strategy of its parent company, the German group Goldbeck. By combining their expertise, GSE and Critical Building reaffirm their commitment to establishing a European benchmark in data center engineering and construction. Through the integration of Critical Building, GSE will offer a differentiated, agile, and high–value-added Design & Build solution, tailored to the requirements of a rapidly evolving strategic sector.

Roland Paul, President of GSE, stated: “By combining our recognized expertise in data center construction with Critical Building’s leading know-how in independent engineering, we are accelerating the creation of a true European center of excellence — serving demanding clients seeking performance, sustainability, and operational agility.”

Thibaut Siméon, Laurent Trescartes, Jean-Marc Dugoujon and Yannick Delas, founders of Critical Building, stated: “By choosing the proposal from GSE and the Goldbeck Group, we have opted for a strong industrial partner whose strategic vision and values are perfectly aligned with our own. This transaction marks a key milestone in our development — it preserves our identity and way of operating while providing us with the resources to reach a new stage of growth.“

Anthony Wimbush, Managing Director at DDA & Company, concluded: “We are very pleased and proud to have advised the founders of Critical Building on the partnership of their company with GSE Group, a subsidiary of Germany’s Goldbeck Group.”

The DDA & Company team, composed of Anthony Wimbush and Charles-Antoine Cayez, advised Critical Building on its sale to GSE.

About GSE

Since its creation in 1976, GSE has been a leading specialist in commercial real estate. As a general contractor, GSE manages construction projects from start to finish — from land sourcing and qualification to technical studies, design, construction, and after-sales service. The company designs and delivers smart, sustainable buildings across the industrial, logistics, and tertiary sectors, notably through its eco-responsible range “The Blue Suite.”

GSE is also active in the data center and aerial parking construction markets and has launched a dedicated building renovation division. As of March 31, 2025, GSE reported €808 million in revenue. Recognized as an “Entreprise à Mission” since 2023, the group employs over 600 people across 20 locations worldwide, including 7 countries in Europe and 13 offices in France. Since 2019, GSE has been part of the Goldbeck Group.

About Critical Building

Critical Building is an independent French company founded in 2006, specializing in the design, audit, and implementation of critical technical infrastructures, primarily data centers. The company supports public and private clients throughout the entire lifecycle of their IT infrastructures, with a neutral, high-performance, and sustainable approach. With its extensive experience, Critical Building has been involved in major projects for colocation providers and hyperscalers, both in France and internationally. Beyond its advanced multidisciplinary technical expertise, the company’s know-how also encompasses energy performance, regulatory compliance, carbon footprint reduction, and the development of innovative environmental concepts focused on eco-efficiency.