American Express Global Business Travel is to acquire DER Business Travel, the corporate travel arm of the DER Touristik Group.

The acquisition is conditioned on receipt of antitrust approvals and is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.

The purchase would expand American Express Global Business Travel’s footprint into Germany’s small- and mid-sized clients sector. 

Elyes Mrad, American Express Global Business Travel senior vice president and managing director, international, said: “Given the complementary nature of our businesses, the acquisition is a great opportunity for everyone involved.

“American Express Global Business Travel services many global and multinational clients, while DER is focused on small- to medium-sized enterprises trading in Germany.”

DER’s travel management offering will be enhanced by American Express Global Business Travel’s international scale and global network.

In addition, DER’s corporate clients would have access to American Express Global Business Travel’s travel and expense ecosystem and core technology platform. 

Mark Tantz, DER managing director, said: “This is a special moment for DER Business Travel, its employees and its clients.

“American Express Global Business Travel and DER are both people-driven organisations with a passion for providing the best technology and service to clients.

“With American Express Global Business Travel’s scale and proprietary tech stack and our expertise and relationships in Germany, this is a real opportunity to offer a new, collective value proposition to German businesses.”

DER’s corporate travel business is headquartered in Frankfurt and operates in 42 locations across Germany with approximately 600 employees.