Salesforce, the popular customer relationship management (CRM) platform provider, announced Wednesday the completion of its $27.7 billion acquisition of the business messaging app Slack.
The massive acquisition is expected to help Salesforce build a “digital headquarter” for the work-from-anywhere model. Together, the two companies will provide businesses with a comprehensive platform where employees can communicate both internally and externally to make remote working more efficient.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have Slack as part of the Salesforce family, combining the #1 CRM and the trailblazing digital platform for the work anywhere world,” said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO of Salesforce, in a press release. “Together we’ll define the future of enterprise software, creating the digital HQ that enables every organization to deliver customer and employee success from anywhere.”
This deal is especially meaningful during the post-pandemic era. The past year has forced many businesses to realize the importance of digital transformation. As Salesforce pointed out, companies’ headquarters are no longer at a physical location, but in the cloud.
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink and reshape how and where we work,” said Stewart Butterfield, Slack CEO and Co-Founder. “Salesforce and Slack are uniquely positioned to lead this historic shift to a digital-first world.”
The acquisition had begun in December 2020, but it was temporarily suspended by the U.S. Department of Justice due to an antitrust investigation. The Department gave the green light for the deal last week, allowing Salesforce to complete its largest acquisition to date.
