Welcome to our weekly digest of consulting M&A! The consulting industry has seen a surge in activity recently, with big players like Deloitte and Ernst & Young making headlines with their latest deals. In this week’s round-up, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest stories from the past seven days. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the read!
#1. EY-Parthenon buys technical and data analytics consultancy QS-2
EY-Parthenon, the strategy consulting arm of EY, has made the announcement that they have acquired an Arlington, VA-based technical consulting and data analytics firm called QS-2 (Quantitative Scientific Solutions).
QS-2 is a firm that was founded way back in 2013 and since its inception, it has provided scientific consulting, systems engineering, data analytics, and testing and evaluation services to public sector and commercial clients. It also aids in providing deep subject matter expertise in autonomous systems, AI, machine learning, and the application of biotech and aviation-related tools.
Moreover, EY-Parthenon’s acquisition of Quantitative Scientific Solutions will help in boosting the technical consulting capabilities that help companies invest in emerging technology.
#2. Wipro acquires telecom expert Convergence Acceleration Solutions
Wipro, an IT services powerhouse, has purchased Convergence Acceleration Solutions (CAS Group), a telecommunications-focused management and technology consulting firm situated in Roswell, Georgia. It is to be noted that for acquiring CAS Group, Wipro will be paying an upfront consideration of around $50 million dollars as well as a contingent consideration worth $30 million dollars, payable over a 3 years period.
The CAS Group, which was founded way back in 2007, provides mobile/wireless, business and fiber-optic services, and cable/data/telecom retail solutions. Moreover, the firm’s consulting service offerings include operational and business support system modernization, broadband infrastructure services, and network enablement for 5G and IoT.
And speaking of the overall deal, the acquisition of CAS group will give Wipro a complete professional services solution for telecom clients, including services spanning from strategy formulation and planning through execution and implementation.
#3. Procurement specialists Procura and Lifecycle Management merge
Two of the most renowned procurement specialist companies Procura and Lifecycle Management have officially merged and formed a new company called the Rethink Group.
Procura, a management consulting firm established in the year 2015, has won several awards for its excellent work in helping businesses improve their procurement processes and reap the benefits of procurement excellence all the way through their value chain.
On the other hand, Lifecycle Management, which was founded over 30 years ago, is a full-service provider of contract management services. This Oxford-based firm assists clients with identifying potential areas for improvement, delivering tenders, and managing contracts throughout the contract and supplier lifecycle.
Moreover, this merger agreement comes at a time when procurement is becoming a more strategic enabler of corporate goals, with the pandemic and ongoing conflict in Ukraine highlighting how businesses rely on procurement excellence for cost control, raw material availability, and profitability, among other things.
#4. EY buys international customer transformation consultancy Blackdot
EY, one of the big four firms in consulting, has already completed its second deal this month by acquiring an Australian consultancy firm called Blackdot. Founded in the year 2001, Blackdot is a customer experience specialist firm that helps in advising clients on customer strategy, design, and implementation.
Speaking about the acquisition, the regional managing partner and CEO of EY’s Oceania office David Larocca was upbeat about the deal going through and labelled the acquisition of Blackdot as a great addition to their already strong customer team.
On the other hand, Blackdot’s CEO and founder Marty Nicholas was also excited about the deal going through and hopes that this will only help in bringing their clients and people something to cheer about.
#5. Deloitte Consulting buys health-focused ServiceNow partner Entrago
Deloitte Consulting has purchased Brisbane-based premier ServiceNow partner Entrago, which specializes in the healthcare sector. Entrago, which was founded by Cameron Douglas-Savage in 2018 after leading Accenture’s ServiceNow Solution Architecture Practice for APAC for two years. The firm primarily serves the healthcare sector, with some government and financial services clients.
Moreover, Deloitte’s acquisition of Entrago will help the consulting firm boost its Enterprise technology and performance division with as many as 22 specialists on board, including the founder and CEO Cameron Douglas-Savage as a partner.
#6. Other Consulting M&A deals
- Boutiques Connell Consulting and Eccleston Associates join forces.
- SCD Advisory advises Reload on its sale to Hardie Grant Media.
- KPMG acquires Irish construction consultancy KMCS.
Closing Thoughts
Thank you for reading our consulting M&A weekly round-up. We hope that you found this week’s deals interesting and informative. If we missed any deals, don’t forget to write to us and let us know. Next week, we will be back with another installment of our weekly round-up of consulting M&A news. Until next time, it’s bye for now.
