Accenture Cloud M&A Shows No Signs of Slowing

Accenture cloud M&A remains on a roll. The professional services provider and channel partner this week agreed to buy Wabion, a Google Cloud services boutique.

The Wabion purchase represents the latest move in Accenture’s overall ongoing spending spree. Ireland-based Accenture has snapped up a plethora of firms just in 2021; many of those deals spread across divisions, though.

Yet given the scope of the company’s M&A activity over the past year alone, it seems fair to predict that Accenture has more, similar deals on the way for cloud. After all, Accenture is making good on its $3 billion Cloud First initiative — its strategy for helping organizations shift to cloud-first operating models. Wabion, with its Google Cloud alignment and expertise, bolsters Accenture’s aspirations. The purchase also gives the professional services provider more heft within the world’s third-largest cloud vendor.

Who Is Wabion?

Wabion, founded in 2004, focuses on Europe. It maintains headquarters in Esslingen, Germany, and Olten, Switzerland. It runs other offices in Munich, Cologne and Lausanne. Wabion delivers consulting and implementation services for Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace. It also offers integration, development, licensing and training — a plethora of capabilities that will augment Accenture’s own competencies and footprint. Wabion has earned premier status with Google Cloud.

“Acquiring Wabion strengthens both our global and local Cloud First capabilities, enabling clients throughout our region to create more value and accelerate their digital transformations,” said Frank Riemensperger, market unit lead for Accenture in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Russia. “The combination of Wabion’s expertise with Accenture’s industry knowledge and … business transformation experience will help clients … tap into local talent in addition to the vast resources of our Accenture Google Cloud Business Group.”

Karthik Narain, global lead of Accenture Cloud First, agreed.

“Cloud is where all breakthrough technology innovations are happening today and a cloud-first strategy can help any enterprise master change at speed and at scale,” Narain said. “Wabion’s … Google Cloud skills will further strengthen Accenture Cloud First to continue to combine the best of Google human-centric design and innovation with Accenture intelligence.”

Wabion’s Volkmar Binder

Volkmar Binder, co-founder and partner at Wabion, said his company now can “broaden our impact across new markets and industries.” Under the auspices of Accenture Cloud First, Wabion intends to develop and expand specialized services for Google products. That includes cloud platforms, data and machine learning, cloud security and cloud automation, Binder said.

How Wabion Fits With Accenture Cloud First

Those aims mesh well with Accenture Cloud First, launched last year. That group consists of 70,000 cloud professionals who deliver a range of services — cloud migration, infrastructure, application services, ecosystem partners and more. To achieve that, Accenture teams with all the major cloud providers. And, to that point, in April, HFS Research ranked Accenture as the No. 1 service provider for the hyperscalers.

“The journey to cloud-native is about a migration of the business to the cloud, not just the technology,” Joel Martin, vice president of cloud strategies at HFS Research, said at the time. “These service providers are enabling companies to follow a cloud services value stream to achieve desired goals for their people, process, and culture while amplifying their customer’s OneOffice. Ranking No. 1 overall, Accenture is a solution-rich provider leading with business-first innovation and bolstering talent through acquisitions.”

Wabion’s 60 employees will join Accenture’s Google Cloud Business Group, which is part of Accenture Cloud First. Even though it is publicly traded, Accenture did not reveal terms of the transaction. The acquisition has not yet closed; it faces customary conditions before that happens, Accenture said.