Once again, we are back with our usual weekly round-up of mergers and acquisitions in consulting. It’s been a busy week with quite a few deals going through. Top firms such as Capgemini have made some interesting inroads. That and a lot more in this week’s consulting M&A round-up. So, let’s dive straight in!
#1. Capgemini Invent buys design and brand agency Rufus Leonard
Capgemini Invent has strengthened its practice in the United Kingdom through the purchase of Rufus Leonard. The acquisition will help Capgemini Invent in meeting client demand for design services, hence facilitating customer-centric transformation programs.
Rufus Leonard is a London-based company with 70 employees that specializes in leveraging technology and design to increase a brand’s potential. Its clientele, which includes the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and AXA, and creative design expertise are highly complementary and additive to frog, a subsidiary of Capgemini Invent.
Rufus Leonard and its clients will benefit from Capgemini Invent’s worldwide scope and reach. In the meantime, the firm’s employees will profit in terms of personal growth and career opportunities.
#2. West Monroe buys change management consultancy 71 & Change
Chicago-based management and technology consulting firm West Monroe has purchased the Portland, Oregon-based change management consulting firm 71 & Change.
Founded in 2016, 71 & Change offers services in change advising, analytics, execution, and project management to clients in the Pacific Northwest. In 2021, the company had roughly 48 workers across locations in Portland and Seattle and generated $8.2 million in sales on the strength of a phenomenal 36 percent two-year growth rate.
The acquisition will drive the company to become more successful in organizational transformations as well as in creating even greater value for its clients.
#3. Dubai-based agency Bruce Clay joins global player Incubeta
Bruce Clay, a digital marketing firm based in Dubai, has joined Incubeta, a worldwide player with over 700 experts in nearly 20 offices.
Since its inception in 2015, Bruce Clay Middle East has amassed a clientele that includes McDonald’s, Johnson & Johnson, Zoflora, and Canon. The company offers a variety of marketing (creative, site design, and content production), online (SEO and PPC), and social media services to its clients.
The deal will infuse deep performance marketing knowledge and experience into the team and agency offering; unlike anything there currently is in the region where the firm operates.
#4. Optimus SBR buys training consultancy N-Gen People Performance
Optimus SBR, a management consulting firm, has acquired N-Gen People Performance, a boutique training consulting firm based in Toronto that specializes in solutions for managing generational disparities in the workplace.
N-Gen, which was founded in 2003, offers training programs to help firms increase performance with a multigenerational workforce, including millennial and Gen Z personnel. For “next-generation” employees, N-training Gen’s programs incorporate business etiquette and communication skills.
The acquisition will enable the company to distribute n-training gen’s programs to a far larger audience and to continue assisting businesses in enhancing their performance and efficiency.
#5. AWK, Ginkgo and Quint commence transition to Eraneos Group
Consulting firms AWK (Switzerland), Ginkgo Management Consulting (Germany), and Quint (Netherlands) have decided to join hands and become one firm. The new name of the firm will be known as Eraneos Group.
The international group will undergo a two-step rebranding process. AWK, Ginkgo, and Quint will first adopt ‘A member of Eraneos Group’ as a tagline under their existing brands, followed by AWK, Ginkgo, and Quint adopting the unified Eraneos Group brand in phase two.
The Eraneos Group aspires to become a global leader in digital transformation consultancy. The harmonizing of brands is part of the company’s Strategy 2025.
#6. Atos exploring splitting into two companies: Atos and Evidian
With revenues of €11 billion, Atos is one of the top IT services companies in the world. But the company is examining the possibility of separating the corporation into two businesses, i.e., Atos and its spin-off Evidian. Both seem to be nearly equivalent in size.
The decision follows a difficult year for the company. At a time when the IT services industry is expanding, Atos’s sales decreased by 3 percent last year, and the company issued its third profit warning eight months early this year, citing a downturn in its customers’ traditional IT business.
The full separation of Atos is anticipated to cost €1.5 billion and will likely be completed in the second half of 2023. Moreover, the Paris stock exchange will list both Atos and Evidian.
Closing Thoughts
That’s all we have for you on this week’s weekly consulting M&A round-up. If you think we missed out on some deals, then do not hesitate to contact us and let us know. Meanwhile, we’ll be back again next week for another weekly round-up of mergers and acquisitions in consulting. Until next time, it’s bye for now.
