Aug 21: 17 deals in the consulting sector including an SCD Advisory deal

2. EY acquires Australian cybersecurity specialist SecureWorx

Following a string of similar transactions among Australia’s largest consultancies, Big Four firm EY has acquired local cybersecurity services provider SecureWorx. The Australian wing of EY will add the 30-strong firm to its Advisory division, with founder and CEO Philip Mulley set to join EY as Sovereign Cybersecurity leader. The deal – agreed to for an undisclosed sum – is due to close at the start of September, and continues a recent run of security purchases among Australia’s largest consultancies.

3. Deloitte expands infrastructure advisory capabilities with PDS Group

Professional services firm Deloitte has picked up public and private infrastructure advisory PDS Group, creating end-to-end project management capabilities in the construction sector. Australia’s infrastructure boom has seen professional services firm Deloitte snap up Melbourne-based national specialist PDS Group, bolstering its project and development management capabilities in the construction sector. PDS Group has a headcount of around 70, with managing director and co-founder Andrew Fortey to continue to oversee the business.

4. KPMG buys technology consulting firm Certus APAC

KPMG has purchased technology consulting firm Certus APAC as part of a push by the big four consulting firm to win more work from clients looking to digitise their operations. Ian Wood, the founder and managing director of Certus APAC will become a KPMG partner. Certus APAC, which booked more than $10 million in revenue last financial year, specialises in installing and supporting Oracle software for clients across the financial services, utilities and retail industries and in the public sector. Ian Wood, the 60-year-old founder and managing director of Certus APAC, will become a partner at KPMG. The firm’s 40 staff, who are based across Sydney, Melbourne and India, will also join the firm.

5. APP welcomes Infrastructure Nation into the APP Group

Infrastructure Nation is a leading transport advisory and project management consultancy operating throughout Australia, with offices in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. Infrastructure Nation has an impressive track record of supporting nation-shaping projects. They’re currently working with Transport for NSW for Sydney Metro to provide Integration and Delivery Partner services on the Western Sydney Airport project. The business is also supporting the deployment of the Country Regional Network in NSW and working in Victoria as a Delivery Partner on the Regional Rail Revival, Gippsland Line upgrade project. APP’s acquisition of Infrastructure Nation represents an entirely aligned partnership with its existing leadership joining APP management as shareholders in a boosted APP Group, a group now 500 consultants strong.

6. Partners in Performance buys data analytics specialist DataStories

Partners in Performance has beefed up its data analytics capabilities with the acquisition of DataStories, a fast growing Europe-based data science company. Based in Belgium, DataStories is a scale-up that helps companies with turning their big data into actionable insights. “Data is an asset which can unlock unseen opportunities for improved performance, innovation and competitiveness,” explained Katya Vladislavleva, the CEO and Founder of DataStories.

7. Brennan IT acquires Newcastle IT services provider Forsythes Technology

Brennan IT has shifted its gaze to NSW’s mid-north coast through the acquisition of Newcastle-based Forsythes Technology for an undisclosed sum. According to Brennan, the deal will give it access to 150 regional businesses spanning the Newcastle and Hunter areas. The Forsythes Technology brand will transition across to Brennan IT in the coming months.

8. Tesserent acquires Loop Secure for $13.5 million

Publicly listed cyber security services provider Tesserent plans to acquire cyber security firm Loop Secure as a “strategic addition” to the company for a combined price of $13.5 million. Headquartered in Sydney and containing offices in Melbourne and Brisbane, Loop Secure offers managed security services, governance risk and compliance and offensive security services, as well as a security operations centre in Melbourne. The acquisition is being viewed as a “strategic addition to strengthen Tesserent’s Cyber 360 capabilities”, according to a statement published to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), with synergies and opportunities expected through its corporate relationships and skills.

9. Infrastructure Advisory Group welcomes growth investor Quintet Yorkway

Infrastructure Advisory Group (IAG) is pleased to announce a significant investment in IAG by growth equity investor Quintet Yorkway. Since its inception in 2018, IAG has grown to over 100 staff across three states and is now a leading infrastructure adviser across Australia. Quintet Yorkway will acquire a majority shareholding alongside management, who will retain a significant interest and remain committed to the business for the long term.

10. FTS Group acquires Defence specialist Mentum Systems from NZ’s Optimation Group

Australian IT service provider FTS Group has acquired its second Canberra-based technology company this year in the form of Mentum Systems. The deal, made for an undisclosed sum, will see FTS Group purchase Mentum from New Zealand IT provider Optimation Group. Mentum Systems has been part of the Optimation Group since 2014, where, according to FTS, it has doubled its size and expanded its reach across the Department of Defence. Specialising in “complex modelling”, analytics software and mobile application solutions, Mentum partners with the likes of Aculard, Mark Logic, Outsystems and Smartlogic.

11. TPG taps Dense Air for additional 5G spectrum

TPG Telecom has struck a deal to acquire additional 5G spectrum holdings in the 3.6 GHz band from Dense Air, a move that will increase the larger telco’s 3.6 GHz spectrum holdings from 60 MHz to 90 MHz in Adelaide and 95 MHz in Brisbane, Perth and Canberra. In Sydney and Melbourne, TPG Telecom will acquire 5 MHz of 3.6 GHz spectrum, increasing its holdings to 65 MHz as part of the transaction. Dense Air was one of five local telcos, including TPG Telecom subsidiary Mobile JV, that successfully bid for and secured the rights to radio spectrum in the 26 GHz band, considered an optimal ingredient for delivering 5G services in Australia, in April.

12. Dicker Data acquires Exeed in landmark $68M deal

Dicker Data has acquired Exeed in a landmark A$68 million deal, shaking up the distribution landscape in New Zealand with Justin Tye at the helm of a combined entity housing an expanded arsenal of market-leading vendors. In taking control of the Auckland-based business — viewed by many as a model of channel success in the Kiwi ecosystem — Dicker Data will assume ownership of a portfolio spanning Apple, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Microsoft across commercial and retail sectors, in addition to exclusive local distributorships with Motorola, Ruckus and Webroot among others.

13. VentraIP parent Nexigen Digital acquires Adelaide-based web hosting provider Net Virtue

VentraIP parent company Nexigen Digital has acquired Adelaide-based web hosting and domain name service provider Net Virtue. Nexigen said the deal was worth “seven figures” and will bring in 15,000 clients and 40,000 services brought into VentraIP as the company’s largest acquisition. Founded in 2011, Net Virtue specialises in web hosting, nvX hosting, managed WordPress services, VPS servers and domain name services.

14. Seisma buys Melbourne Salesforce partner Smartapps following its PS&C sale

IT professional services company Seisma has bought Australian Salesforce partner Smartapps for an unknown sum. Founded in 2013 and also based in Melbourne, Smartapps provides enterprise cloud applications and delivery solutions using the Salesforce platform. According to Seisma, Smartapps is one of the largest privately-owned Salesforce partners in Australia. The company claimed Smartapps will boost its own application development and data analytics. Seisma CEO Robert Hogeland added that the deal would enable it to “curate market-leading services for its customers”.

15. insightsoftware acquires Calumo

insightsoftware, a global provider of financial reporting and performance management solutions for the Office of the CFO, today announced it has acquired Calumo. This deal expands insightsoftware’s position in budgeting and planning, specifically in the Asia Pacific region. Calumo integrates with insightsoftware’s financial reporting functionality to give mid-market customers the ability to report on every area of their business. The deal demonstrates insightsoftware’s commitment to global scale and expanding in the Asia Pacific region, especially in the key Australian market. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

16. Access Group acquires Perth ISV Definitiv

UK-headquartered business software provider Access Group has made its first push onto Australia’s west coast through the acquisition of Definitiv. Founded in Perth in 2016, Definitiv provides software-as-a-service solutions specifically covering people management and payroll solutions. According to Access Group, Definitiv works with 350 contracted entities across 27 industries in the Asia Pacific region.

17. Nexon Asia Pacific acquires Equate Technologies

Nexon Asia Pacific (Nexon) announces today the acquisition of Equate Technologies, a provider of cybersecurity, risk, and consulting solutions to large and mid-market organisations. Headquartered in Brisbane, Equate Technologies has a strong track record of helping customers to secure and protect their critical assets and data while mitigating risks to meet strategic business priorities. With over eight years of experience delivering integrated cybersecurity solutions, Equate Technologies has invested in local cybersecurity talent and technologies in supporting the company’s commitment to improve the performance, productivity, and protection for their clients.