In a major move that reshapes the European online classifieds landscape, OLX Group has agreed to acquire leading French auto platform La Centrale for €1.1 billion, signaling a major push into Western Europe powered by artificial intelligence.
The deal, expected to close by year-end, grants OLX an immediate leading position in France’s large and dynamic used car market.
The acquisition is a strategic leap for OLX, which operates thriving marketplaces in Central and Eastern Europe. La Centrale, with its strong brand recognition, deep dealer relationships, and approximately 4.5 million monthly unique visitors, provides the perfect entry point into Western Europe.
A Natural Fit for a European Ambition
The union combines two classifieds powerhouses. OLX brings scale and proprietary AI technology, while La Centrale contributes a nearly 60-year legacy of trust and local expertise. The deal is central to OLX’s strategy of building strong regional leaders.
”La Centrale is a natural fit within our classifieds portfolio,” commented Christian Gisy, CEO of OLX.
“Our strategy is to unleash the growth potential of vertical marketplaces, building strong regional leaders by scaling businesses using our proprietary AI technology.
“La Centrale’s strong market position and talented team are the perfect foundation to deliver our trusted innovative customer-first technology solutions to France.”
For Prosus, the parent company, the acquisition is a key piece of a larger puzzle.
Fabricio Bloisi, CEO of Prosus, added: “La Centrale strengthens our lifestyle ecommerce ecosystem in Europe and highlights our commitment to invest in the people and platforms shaping the future of ecommerce in the region. La Centrale will expand our footprint into one of Europe’s most dynamic technology markets and unlock new opportunities to innovate, scale, and deliver even greater value to consumers and partners through AI. I expect to invest more in AI technology in France.”
Transformation and Future Growth
Providence Equity Partners, which acquired La Centrale in 2021, oversaw a significant transformation of the platform. Karim Tabet and Robert Sudo of Providence stated: “Since our investment in 2021, Providence, in partnership with Philippe and his team, has successfully transformed La Centrale from a traditional auto classifieds player into a leading data and tech platform for new and used cars in France.”
The French used car market presents a compelling opportunity. With professional dealers accounting for only ~36% of sales (compared to ~70% in Germany), there is significant room for growth as the market consolidates and consumers increasingly seek trusted digital platforms.
Philippe Chainieux, CEO of La Centrale, expressed excitement for the next chapter: “La Centrale has long been a trusted destination for dealers and consumers in France. We believe that joining forces with OLX and Prosus will allow us to expand that mission, accelerate innovation and deliver even greater value to our customers. We are excited to write the next chapter of growth together.”
The combined entity is poised to leverage OLX’s AI capabilities to enhance the customer experience, attract more dealers, and accelerate revenue growth in one of Europe’s most important automotive markets.
