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Strategic Acquisitions: A Comparative Analysis of Accenture and Top Indian Technology Firms

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In recent years, the global business landscape has witnessed a surge in mergers and acquisitions, driven by the need for companies to enhance their capabilities, expand their market reach, and stay competitive in an ever-evolving digital economy. Among the key players in this domain are Accenture, a multinational professional services company, and the Indian technology firms. In this blog, we delve into a comparative analysis of Accenture’s acquisitions versus those of Top 5 Indian technology companies (TCS, Infosys, HCLTech, Wipro and Tech Mahindra) for the period of 4 years (January 2021 to March 2024), exploring the strategies, motivations, and implications behind these strategic moves.

 

 

Acquisitions by Top Indian Tech companies and Accenture from 2021 to 2024

Source: Venture Intelligence

 

 

Accenture’s Acquisitions:

Accenture, known for its extensive portfolio of acquisitions, has been actively bolstering its capabilities across various domains to meet the growing demands of its clients. From cloud services to digital transformation, Accenture’s acquisition strategy has been strategic and expansive. Some of its notable acquisitions include LinkByNet, Inspirage, and Flutura, among others. These acquisitions have enabled Accenture to enhance its expertise in areas such as cloud-native development, supply chain expertise, and AI & analytics, positioning itself as a leader in the global market.

 

 

 

 

One of the key motivations behind Accenture’s acquisitions is to stay ahead of the curve in terms of technological innovation and digital disruption. By integrating niche expertise and cutting-edge technologies from acquired companies, Accenture can offer a comprehensive suite of services to its clients, driving business growth and fostering innovation.

 

 

 

Indian Technology Company Acquisitions:

Indian technology companies have been pursuing acquisitions to fuel their growth and diversify their service offerings. Companies like Infosys, Wipro, TCS, HCLTech and Tech Mahindra have made strategic acquisitions to expand their presence in key markets, augment their technological capabilities, and drive digital engineering and transformation initiatives.

 

 

 

 

 

Furthermore, the Top Indian technology companies have been utilizing acquisitions to enhance their competitive advantage. Through acquiring entities specializing in areas such as Cloud, ER&D, and Digital Engineering (AI & Analytics), Indian firms are broadening their client base, diversifying revenue streams, and maintaining a leading position in an increasingly competitive market environment.

 

In terms of acquisition capabilities, both the top Indian technology companies and Accenture emphasized Cloud and Digital Engineering (AI & Analytics) as their primary focus, followed by Strategy Consulting and Customer Experience. These areas comprised about 41% of Accenture’s acquisitions and approximately 58% of acquisitions for the leading Indian tech firms.

In addition to these areas, both Accenture and the top Indian tech companies continue to focus some of their resources in traditional areas like Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation, and Engineering. Having said that, in the case of Accenture, they also explored acquisitions in areas like Supply Chain, Sourcing & Procurement, and Sustainability, accounting for 14% of its total acquisitions.

 

 

 

 

 

When analyzing the geographic focus of M&As, it’s evident that the Europe and UK & Ireland emerges as the primary target market for Accenture while for the Indian technology companies, United States emerges as a primary target market. It is interesting to note that the top Indian technology firms also focuses on India with nearly 19% acquisitions in their home country.

Comparing their acquisition strategies in each of these key regions:

 

  • United States:

Indian technology companies tended to prioritize acquisitions in areas such as strategy consulting, cloud services, and digital engineering, with a subsequent emphasis on customer experience. In contrast, Accenture’s focus in the US leaned towards AI & analytics, cloud computing and platforms, strategy consulting, and capabilities related to strategic sourcing and procurement.

 

  • Europe:

Within Europe, Indian technology companies directed their acquisitions towards ER&D capabilities, geographic expansion initiatives, digital engineering, cloud platforms, and improving customer experience. Conversely, Accenture’s acquisitions in this region were primarily geared towards cloud services, cybersecurity, AI & analytics, sustainability, and functional expertise in the supply chain area.

 

  • India:

During our analysis, we found that Indian technology companies displayed a more pronounced focus on their home market compared to Accenture. Approximately 19% of acquisitions made by the top Indian tech firms originated from India, covering areas such as digital transformation, skilling initiatives, customer experience enhancements, and cloud services, among others.

 

 

Conclusion:

In summary, while both Indian technology firms and Accenture demonstrate a strategic approach to acquisitions across various geographies and diverse set of capabilities, their specific areas of focus vary based on market dynamics, strategic priorities, and the pursuit of synergies in emerging technologies and service offerings. While Accenture aims to maintain its global leadership position by strategically acquiring companies across various domains, Indian technology firms focus on expanding their presence in key markets and augmenting their technological capabilities. Both prioritize Cloud and Digital Engineering, while Accenture also targets niche areas to serve a broader client base. Overall, mergers and acquisitions remain crucial for companies to enhance capabilities and stay competitive in the evolving technology industry landscape.

 

 

Source:

  • Venture Intelligence
  • News Articles
  • Nasscom