The UK Competition and Markets Authority has officially opened a merger inquiry into the anticipated acquisition of Mitie Group by OCS Group International. Published on September 15, 2026, under the distribution and service industries sector, the regulator has launched its pre-notification phase and issued a formal invitation to comment to gauge initial views from interested parties on how the transaction could impact competition within the United Kingdom. The CMA’s information-gathering period is set to accept written representations from market participants until September 29, 2026, ahead of the formal commencement of its Phase 1 investigation.
The regulatory review follows OCS’s recommended £3.1 billion cash takeover of its rival Mitie, a transaction designed to construct one of the nation’s largest outsourced services groups with a combined annual revenue reaching approximately £8.5 billion. Under the agreed terms of the recommended offer, Mitie shareholders are set to receive 218.5 pence per share in cash while retaining a planned 3.1 pence final dividend, representing a 47 percent premium over Mitie’s share price prior to the announcement. The takeover continues a broader expansion campaign by OCS, which has been backed by private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice since 2022 and recently completed acquisitions of FES and EMCOR UK.
If approved, the consolidated entity will operate with a global workforce exceeding 219,000 employees, merging OCS’s international presence with Mitie’s UK operations spanning security, hygiene, engineering maintenance, and compliance services. OCS indicated that the combined scale will enhance service capabilities across government, defense, healthcare, and national infrastructure sectors, alongside driving investments in technology and artificial intelligence. While Mitie’s board has unanimously recommended the acquisition, completion remains targeted for the first quarter of 2027, subject to shareholder consent, national security approvals, and clearance from the CMA.
