Deal Alert 
SCD Advisory acted as adviser to DyFlex Solutions on their strategic partnership with Five V Capital
07th February 2025 7 min. read
Transaction Enablers image"/>
Latest Insights
First M&A blog of FY25 with 2 SCD deals!
July 31st 2024 6 min. read
SCD Advisory acted as sell-side adviser to ProQuest Consulting on their sale to Decision Inc.
November 19th 2024 4 min. read
Dozen of deals in May including an SCD Advisory transaction
May 31st 2024 10 min. read
M&A deals in Aug in the People and IP-based sectors
September 04th 2024 4 min. read
SCD Advisory acted as sole M&A adviser to SXiQ on their sale to IBM
SCD Advisory is pleased to announce that it has advised SXiQ, an Australian digital transformation services company specializing in cloud applications, cloud platforms and cloud cybersecurity, on its sale to IBM.
This further advances IBM’s hybrid cloud and AI strategy by helping enterprises modernize and transform complex mission-critical applications on multiple clouds and platforms.
“Companies are very clearly deploying hybrid cloud strategies as interoperability, security, compliance and avoiding vendor lock-in are top of mind,” said John Granger, Senior Vice President, Hybrid Cloud Services, IBM Consulting. “IBM’s acquisition of SXiQ brings additional hybrid and multicloud expertise that is at the core of open innovation for clients.”
Organizations are increasingly turning to multiple cloud providers and platforms to best meet a broad range of business needs. A recent global IBM study found that hybrid cloud is the dominant IT architecture with only three percent of C-level executives using a single private or public cloud in 2021.
SXiQ works with leading Australian enterprises, as well as the Australian operations of global Fortune 2000 companies, to successfully migrate and modernize their cloud infrastructure and applications across multiple industries including financial services, consumer products, energy, healthcare, and the public sector. The company also works with clients to monitor and optimize their spend on cloud resources, helping enterprises unlock greater value from their cloud investment to realize cost savings of 20 percent or more.
SXiQ will enhance IBM Consulting’s capabilities in Australia and New Zealand to modernize applications and technology infrastructure in the cloud. This is the 20th acquisition – and tenth consulting acquisition – since Arvind Krishna became IBM’s CEO, adding to the significant investments the company is making in its hybrid cloud and AI strategy. The announcement of the SXiQ acquisition follows recent acquisitions by IBM of leading cloud consulting firms – Nordcloud, Taos, and BoxBoat – earlier this year, which significantly expanded IBM’s multicloud transformation, management expertise and capabilities in Europe and North America.
SXiQ will join IBM Consulting’s fast-growing Hybrid Cloud Services business, helping IBM capitalize on a rapidly growing cloud professional services market which will surpass $200 billion globally by 2024.1 SXiQ’s team of technology consultants brings expertise transforming and migrating enterprise workloads on cloud platforms including Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
“Our digital transformation experience and track record of client delivery on leading cloud platforms will send a strong signal affirming our and IBM’s commitment to clients’ successful journey to cloud,” said John Hanna, Managing Director, SXiQ. “Our clients can now take advantage of IBM’s broad capabilities around ERP systems, Data & Analytics, Machine Learning & AI, deep platform partnerships and global delivery capabilities, allowing us to broaden the transformational capabilities we can bring to our customers, ensuring they can take their own digital transformation further and deeper.”
Regarding SCD Advisory’s role in the transaction, John Hanna (Managing Director of SXiQ) said:
SCD Advisory’s deep understanding of the IT services sector proved invaluable in executing such a high-profile cross border deal with IBM. We were highly impressed with SCD’s experience throughout the transaction, maintaining our best interests as the top priority at all times, resulting in a great outcome. Given COVID headwinds and time zone differences, the transaction was managed in a very professional manner, especially navigating the numerous technical topics that arose throughout the deal. Congrats to the team!
Pierre Briand (Founder of SCD Advisory) added:
We wish John and his team great success with IBM as a prestigious strategic partner. For SCD Advisory, this is an exemplary deal: within the people and IP based sector, a private IT services business, joining a large international firm. After selling a digital transformation firm to the global leader in consulting (McKinsey & Company) earlier this year, SCD Advisory is proud to announce the sale of an IT cloud business to IBM, the largest IT Consulting and Services company in the world.
At SCD Advisory, we offer a range of services from deal preparation to transaction execution. Contact us at info@scdadvisory.com to find out more.
Written by: Pierre Briand, Founder & Managing Partner
Pierre brings 25 years of expertise in advising entrepreneurs, with a deep background in management and financial advisory across corporate finance, private banking, and wealth management. His extensive experience includes numerous sell-side and buy-side deals, IPOs, mergers, integrations, and consulting projects for both small businesses and large global corporations. As an established and highly regarded advisor, Pierre is known for his savvy, trusted guidance.
Pierre’s career began in Australia before he moved to France, where he worked with prominent business figures like billionaire François Pinault on M&A deals within the Artemis group. He then founded BC&D, an M&A small-cap firm in Paris, where he managed corporate advisory services across Europe, covering both origination and execution. His work extended beyond transactions, advising entrepreneurs on wealth management strategies to optimise the transition from business ownership.
In Paris, he held advisory roles at the Belgium Family Office (DeGroof) and as a senior private banker and head of the HNW segment for France at JP Morgan. Returning to Australia in 2015, Pierre established the ANZ subsidiary of a UK-headquartered M&A firm, executing 9 M&A transactions across Australia. In 2019, he launched SCD Advisory, where he has since completed 35+ transactions, earning multiple global awards in M&A advisory from 2021 to 2024. Notably, he was named ‘Deal Maker of the Year’ by Finance Monthly in 2022 for his sale of Hypothesis to McKinsey & Co.
Pierre graduated from the Business of Troyes in France and has a postgraduate in Corporate Finance from the University of Caen. He is also a certified Financial Analyst and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). Pierre further enhanced his credentials by completing the “Leading Professional Services Firms” program at Harvard Business School. His track record and accolades highlight his dedication to excellence and his exceptional skill in delivering successful outcomes for his clients.
Pierre is French, Australian citizen, Overseas Citizen of India. He is married and has two children. He is passionate about international travel, gastronomy, sailing and golf. As an experienced sailor, his motto in business and life in general is: “We cannot direct the wind, but we can trim the sails”
Share
Other insights you may be interested in
Deal Alert
SCD Advisory acted as adviser to DyFlex Solutions on their strategic partnership with Five V Capital
07th February 2025 7 min. read
Deal Alert
SCD Advisory acted as sell-side adviser to Chrome Consulting on their sale to Atturra
22nd November 2024 6 min. read
Deal Alert
SCD Advisory acted as sell-side adviser to ProQuest Consulting on their sale to Decision Inc.
19th November 2024 4 min. read
Give us a call on +61 434 730 099. Or, email us at info@scdadvisory.com
or fill in our contact form and we will give you a call.