July 21: 17 M&A deals in Consulting, IT, Telco, including one from SCD Advisory

2. Capgemini to acquire Empired for A$233M

Perth-based systems integrator Empired has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Capgemini for A$1.35 per share, coming to a total of A$233 million. While headquartered in Western Australia, Empired has a substantial presence up and down the country’s east coast and in New Zealand, where it claims offices in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, thanks to local player Intergen, which it acquired in 2014. If the deal goes ahead, the Empired acquisition would see the French global systems integrator further strengthen its presence in Australia and New Zealand, according to Kaylene O’Brien, managing director for Capgemini A/NZ.

3. Deloitte acquires healthcare sector consultancy Paxton Partners

Deloitte has acquired boutique healthcare sector consultancy Paxton Partners, with the company’s directors and team set to cross to Deloitte from the 1st of August. The Big Four firm will add Paxton Partners to its consulting wing, integrating the consultancy into its national health advisory practice. A team of around a dozen will join Deloitte, including directors Rob Gilbert, Julian Maiolo, and Sean Chung – the latter two as partners. The financial terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed.

4. Accenture leaps into cloud infrastructure space with CS Technology acquisition

Global technology consulting giant Accenture has continued its major acquisition push by buying cloud infrastructure services provider CS Technology. The deal, of which the terms were undisclosed, comes as Accenture attempts to push further into the hybrid cloud infrastructure arena. With CS Technology, Accenture will gain access to 100 employees with skills in cloud, workplace, project management and engineering across Sydney, Melbourne, New York and London. Established in 1992 and with headquarters in New York, CS Technology claims a full suite of strategy to execution services in the domains of data centre, cloud, modern workplace and operating models, and has partnerships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), data centre providers and cloud providers.

5. Publicis Groupe acquires Australian-owned company, CitrusAd

Publicis Groupe has announced the acquisition of CitrusAd, an Australian software as a service (SaaS) platform that optimises a brand’s marketing performances directly within retailer websites. Over 4000 brands are utilising their self-served platform. CitrusAd is an Australian-based company founded in 2017 by Brad Moran and Nick Paech and gathers 130 engineers and retail media experts around the world. The company will act as a standalone business within Epsilon, being closely integrated into their technology to achieve market-leading synergies. The transaction remains subject to customary approvals and is expected to close in the next weeks.

6. Cyient strengthens its digital solutions suite, IntelliCyient through proposed acquisition of WorkForce Delta

Cyient, a global engineering, manufacturing, and digital technology solutions company, announced that it has agreed to acquire WorkForce Delta, a leading consulting firm in mobile workforce management. The acquisition will bolster the IntelliCyient portfolio by expanding its front-end consulting capabilities for digital mobile workforce management solutions. There has been a growing demand for comprehensive field force management solutions in the Utilities and Telecom industries. With rapid sectoral growth across regions, Cyient continues to invest in expanding its market presence while creating sustainable value for all stakeholders. With this acquisition, Cyient will be taking full ownership of WorkForce Delta.

7. S4Capital picks up another Australian business

Destined, an Australian-based Salesforce, Pardot and Mulesoft specialist, has been folded into Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital. The acqusition, or merger as S4 calls them, strengthens the data and digital media offering with cross cloud services to enterprise clients, such as Spotify, Panasonic, Wingate, George Weston Foods, and Opal HealthCare. The Australia-founded company today has 85 staff across offices in Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan.The deal was announced on the London Stock Exchange. Commercial details haven’t weren’t released but typically they include cash and shares in S4.

8. Vega Global invests in Kodum, Builds on APAC AV/IT Systems Integration Capabilities

Hong Kong — End-to-end digital solutions provider Vega Global (Vega) today announced the acquisition of Kodum, a leading technology services provider operating in ANZ and the Pacific Islands, to expand their services across the region and better service their multi-national clients. Kodum has over 16 years’ experience in providing audio-visual, automation & conferencing solutions that connect, unify and engage customers across ANZ and Pacific Islands markets. While Vega, with regional offices in over 16 APAC locations, provides a consistent approach to consulting, project management, and managed services to streamline their offerings to their local and multi-national clients.

9. Nexon Asia Pacific acquires CSA

Nexon Asia Pacific has acquired Computer Systems Australia (CSA) for an undisclosed sum. According to Nexon CEO Barry Assaf, the purchase will accelerate the company’s strategic growth objectives. CSA has a footprint in Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane, with the deal increasing Nexon’s staff to more than 400 employees. The CSA brand will eventually transition towards. Nexon over time, with CEO Brett Woods joining the fold as chief strategy and transformation officer.

10. Proximity acquires government sector advisory Alliance Consulting

Canberra-based consulting firm Proximity has marked its tenth year in business with the acquisition of government sector specialist Alliance Consulting. Consulting, legal and commercial advisory Proximity has picked up fellow Canberra-based company Alliance Consulting Group for an undisclosed sum. Together with their full team, Alliance Consulting owners Peter Bell and Jenifer Frederick have crossed to Proximity as of the beginning of the month, swelling Proximity’s headcount out to more than 100 across offices in Adelaide, Sydney Melbourne, and Canberra.

11. Webcentral and 5G Networks move to merge

Webcentral Group and 5G Networks (5GN) are gearing up to merge, with both companies entering into a binding implementation agreement to make the move before the end of the year. Although subject to 5GN shareholder approval, the deal is anticipated to be implemented by early November at the latest. Under the agreement, Webcentral would acquire 100 per cent of the shares in 5GN, with the telecommunications carrier becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Webcentral. According to a statement lodged with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on 16 July, the proposed merger would simplify sales delivery to over 330,000 customers.

12. Nextgen acquires Sydney sales outsourcing firm NovaTech Ventures

Australian distributor Nextgen has acquired Sydney-based sales outsourcing firm NovaTech Ventures for an undisclosed sum. The deal will allow Nextgen to form a new company focused exclusively on sales and channel management across Asia Pacific, although no further details of this were announced yet. Founded in 2001 by Brian O’Doherty, NovaTech Ventures provides channel services to vendors around market validation and entry, lead generation and development and sales as-a-service, alongside operations consulting. NovaTech currently has vendor partnerships with the likes of Oracle, SAP, IBM, Vignette and SAS.

13. Brisbane-based boutique PT Partners joins top ten player PKF

Boutique south-Brisbane business services outfit PT Partners has been snapped up by the Brisbane member of accounting and advisory network PKF for an undisclosed sum. The Brisbane branch of PKF has absorbed local business services boutique PT Partners, while stating its appetite for further acquisitions. With the entire PT Partners team set to cross, the deal sees PKF Brisbane’s headcount rise to 85 (of some 100 PKF partners and 750 staffers Australia-wide), including nine partners and four directors.

14. VendorPanel acquires EBMS Nimblex

ProcureTech scaleup VendorPanel, a leading Australian procurement platform operating in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, has acquired EBMS Nimblex, developer of the Nimblex suite of low-code procurement solutions. The acquisition enables VendorPanel to deliver on its long term product vision by providing an end to end Guide-to-Pay solution that will challenge global software providers in the government, enterprise and SME markets.

15. Perth-based Web Key IT acquired by AbleDocs

PDF accessibility document vendor AbleDocs has acquired Perth-based Web Key IT, claiming it will widen its global reach as a result. Based in Perth and Kuwait, Web Key IT offers testing services for websites and applications to meet accessibility standards, such as those set out by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Acquired for an undisclosed sum, AbleDocs’ purchase of Web Key IT will allow it to increase the scope of its products, services, training and localised support in over 49 languages, the vendor claimed. Meanwhile, Web Key IT will now use the AbleDocs suite as part of its services.

16. MOQ acquires Perth Citrix partner Dienst Consulting

Publicly-listed IT services provider MOQ Limited has bought Perth-based Citrix partner Dienst Consulting for $3.78 million. The deal will see MOQ pay Dienst 70 per cent of the acquisition value in cash, $2.65 million, and 30 per cent in MOQ shares valued at $1.13 million. Dienst will bring with it $8.4 million in 2021 revenue and its management team, including managing director Alan Hodson. Founded in 2012, Dienst offers services in mobility, public, hybrid and private cloud – working with Microsoft and VMware as well as Citrix on the latter – plus data back up and management.

17. IBM partners and ‘good friends’ Sundata and Team Computing merge

Veteran Australian IBM resellers Sundata and Team Computing have joined forces to create a new IT powerhouse. Both founded in the 1980s, the two companies will now combine workforces and management to form the newly branded OneTeamIT, which will span 40 people across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. According to Sundata owner Kon Kakanis, the two companies have worked together for over four years on projects and supporting mutual clients.