Acquisition Expands End-to-End Digital Smart Grid Services to Help Clients Integrate Information and Operational Technologies
AMSTERDAM — (BUSINESS WIRE) — November 1, 2016 — Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Realworld OO Systems B.V., a Netherlands-based division of Realworld Holding B.V. that specializes in geographic information system (GIS) solutions. These solutions help utilities digitize and optimize their electricity, water and natural gas networks. The transaction will expand Accenture’s end-to-end portfolio of smart grid services and accelerate its plans to grow digital consulting services in Europe.
By adding GIS services, Accenture will be able to further help clients with integrating information and operations technologies. In an area which is increasingly important for utilities, GIS is fundamental in automation, sensors and the integration of information technology and operational technology. It enables the exchange of data between GIS, operations and enterprise resource planning systems.
“Our already leading Accenture Smart Grid Services business is now even better positioned to help clients to optimize and manage digital assets and intelligent grid operations,” said Stephanie Jamison, global managing director, Accenture Smart Grid Services. “Realworld OO Systems brings new skills and capabilities to Accenture’s end-to-end smart grid services portfolio with talented professionals who have invested years in mastering geographic information system solutions for utilities.”
Accenture’s robust international presence at most large utilities companies, provides Realworld OO Systems an opportunity to immediately expand its business in Europe, while providing employees new technology or industry consulting career paths.
“Our people have an outstanding role to play by combining the deep GIS knowledge of Realworld OO Systems with Accenture’s smart grid services. This will support our clients’ digital transformation with the latest technologies and services,” said Frank van Ham, chief technology officer, Realworld OO Systems. “Together we will benefit from our organizations’ strong client overlap and our past experience of working on joint projects to quickly ramp up our long-held goal of growing beyond the Netherlands.”
Founded in 1994 and based in Culemborg, the Netherlands, Realworld OO Systems collaborates with several leading GIS platform and software providers. They are ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certified and have extensive experience in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) and GIS.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 384,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein,
statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,”
“anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,”
“estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook” and similar expressions are used to
identify these forward-looking statements. These statements involve a
number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These
include, without limitation, risks that: the company and Realworld OO
Systems B.V. will not be able to close the transaction in the
time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties’
ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not
achieve the anticipated benefits for the company; the company’s results
of operations could be adversely affected by volatile, negative or
uncertain economic conditions and the effects of these conditions on the
company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; the
company’s business depends on generating and maintaining ongoing,
profitable client demand for the company’s services and solutions, and a
significant reduction in such demand could materially affect the
company’s results of operations; if the company is unable to keep its
supply of skills and resources in balance with client demand around the
world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership
skills, the company’s business, the utilization rate of the company’s
professionals and the company’s results of operations may be materially
adversely affected; the markets in which the company competes are highly
competitive, and the company might not be able to compete effectively;
the company could have liability or the company’s reputation could be
damaged if the company fails to protect client and/or company data or
information systems as obligated by law or contract or if the company’s
information systems are breached; the company’s results of operations
and ability to grow could be materially negatively affected if the
company cannot adapt and expand its services and solutions in response
to ongoing changes in technology and offerings by new entrants; the
company’s results of operations could materially suffer if the company
is not able to obtain sufficient pricing to enable it to meet its
profitability expectations; if the company does not accurately
anticipate the cost, risk and complexity of performing its work or if
the third parties upon whom it relies do not meet their commitments,
then the company’s contracts could have delivery inefficiencies and be
less profitable than expected or unprofitable; the company’s results of
operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in
foreign currency exchange rates; the company’s profitability could
suffer if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful, and the
company may not be able to improve its profitability through
improvements to cost-management to the degree it has done in the past;
the company’s business could be materially adversely affected if the
company incurs legal liability; the company’s work with government
clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the
government contracting environment; the company might not be successful
at identifying, acquiring or integrating businesses, entering into joint
ventures or divesting businesses; the company’s Global Delivery Network
is increasingly concentrated in India and the Philippines, which may
expose it to operational risks; changes in the company’s level of taxes,
as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in the
company’s treatment as an Irish company, could have a material adverse
effect on the company’s results of operations and financial condition;
as a result of the company’s geographically diverse operations and its
growth strategy to continue geographic expansion, the company is more
susceptible to certain risks; adverse changes to the company’s
relationships with key alliance partners or in the business of its key
alliance partners could adversely affect the company’s results of
operations; the company’s services or solutions could infringe upon the
intellectual property rights of others or the company might lose its
ability to utilize the intellectual property of others; if the company
is unable to protect its intellectual property rights from unauthorized
use or infringement by third parties, its business could be adversely
affected; the company’s ability to attract and retain business and
employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; if the
company is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated
with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business
objectives; any changes to the estimates and assumptions that the
company makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated
financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; many
of the company’s contracts include payments that link some of its fees
to the attainment of performance or business targets and/or require the
company to meet specific service levels, which could increase the
variability of the company’s revenues and impact its margins; if the
company is unable to collect its receivables or unbilled services, the
company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows
could be adversely affected; the company’s results of operations and
share price could be adversely affected if it is unable to maintain
effective internal controls; the company may be subject to criticism and
negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as
the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk
Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent annual report on Form
10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of
the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any
forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such
statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations.