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YPOG advises Personio on acquisition of spend management platform Circula, a spend management platform. The transaction expands Personio’s offering to include spend management and brings HR, payroll and spend processes together on one platform.
Personio is a leading European HR and payroll platform for small and medium-sized businesses. Founded in Munich in 2015, the company serves more than 16,000 businesses employing a total of 1.6 million people and has more than 1,500 employees across 6 offices in Europe.
Founded in Berlin in 2017, Circula offers a spend management platform covering travel expenses, corporate cards, accounts payable and employee benefits. More than 3,000 companies and 250,000 users rely on Circula.
The transaction aims to bring together the companies’ offerings for HR, payroll and spend management on an integrated platform creating the first European platform to unite these product offerings in one provider. Both companies plan to deepen the integration of their data and business processes. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“Personio is setting the pace for innovation in Germany. This transaction shows that German tech companies are not only acquisition targets but also acquirers and consolidators, and that know-how and value creation remain in Germany and Europe. We thank the Personio team for placing trust in us on another project with high strategic relevance,” says Dr. Johannes Janning, Partner at YPOG.
The YPOG Team consisting of YPOGees from all offices advised Personio on the negotiation of the transaction documentation, legal and tax due diligence, as well as acquisition structuring. In May 2026, YPOG had previously advised Personio on its acquisition of recruiting AI startup aurio, in July 2025 on Personio’s restructuring of its global employee participation program.
Team
Dr. Johannes Janning (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Cologne
Jörg Schrade (Tax), Partner, Munich
Dr. Tim Walter (Transactions), Senior Associate, Cologne
Janic Kaba Salcedas (Transactions, Corporate), Associate, Cologne
Nina Ahlert (Transactions Technology Lead), Senior Associate, Cologne
Paul Harenberg (Transactions), Associate, Cologne
Dr. Lutz Schreiber (IP/IT/Data Protection), Partner, Hamburg
Matthias Kresser (Transactions), Partner, Berlin
Dr. Miriam Peter (Transactions, Corporate), Associated Partner, Berlin
Dr. Jacob Schreiber (Tax), Senior Associate, Munich
Dr. Florian Wittner (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Hamburg
Charlotte Petrasch (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin
Helena Dierckx (Transactions, Corporate), Associate, Berlin
Dr. Lea Ossmann-Magiera (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin
Laura Franke (Transactions), Senior Project Lawyer, Cologne
The inhouse team was lead by Malgosia Zietara-Miller (General Counsel) with support from Dr. Katrin Geiger (Head of Corporate & Risk)
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About us
YPOG stands for You + Partners of Gamechangers. As a leading law and tax firm, YPOG supports founders, investors, companies and funds in Germany and internationally in bringing visionary ideas to life in the tech ecosystem and dynamic future markets.
YPOG advises on the structuring of venture capital and private equity funds, financing rounds and complex transactions, as well as on regulatory and tax matters relating to digital assets and financial innovation. As a strategic partner, YPOG develops practical solutions of the highest legal standard.
The firm combines legal and tax expertise with legal tech, digital workflows and AI-based systems to provide efficient and scalable advice.
YPOG and its professionals are regularly recognised by JUVE, Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers and Leaders League. More than 380 lawyers, tax advisers, tax specialists, one notary and business professionals work for YPOG across its offices in Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg and Munich.
Further information: www.ypog.law/en/ and www.linkedin.com/company/ypog