Capgemini announces proposal to acquire Australian cloud transformation and digital services provider, Empired
The acquisition of Empired would significantly increase the size of the Capgemini business in Australia and New Zealand and position it as a market leader in digital, data and cloud across the region
Paris, Sydney, July 19, 2021 – Capgemini announces that it has entered into a Scheme Implementation Agreement with Empired Limited (ASX: EPD) to acquire Empired under an Australian statutory shareholder approved process (Scheme). With more than 1000 professionals in Australia and New Zealand, this acquisition would strengthen Capgemini’s capabilities in cloud and data across the region. Capgemini’s leadership position in the Australia market would be supported by this acquisition, its 4th in the country in 18 months.
With locations across Australia and New Zealand, and a forecast annual turnover as of June 30, 2021 of between 186 and 188 million Australian dollars, Empired provides end-to-end capabilities in cloud and data to enable the digital transformation of key industries across Australia and offers a complementary geographic footprint to Capgemini. Furthermore, Empired, known in New Zealand through its brand Intergen, would mark a step change for Capgemini in New Zealand, where it generates about a third of its business.
Empired is enabling organizations to transform and achieve more thanks to the depth and breadth of its capabilities across the entire Microsoft platform. Highly complementary to Capgemini’s global partnership with Microsoft, Empired would bring to Capgemini the largest accredited Microsoft Dynamics team in Australia and New Zealand. The acquisition of Empired would strengthen Capgemini’s client portfolio across key industries, notably in Mining, Utilities and Government. For Empired, Capgemini’s positive momentum in Asia-Pacific, breadth of service offerings and global scale would help its clients’ growing needs, as well as expand career opportunities for its team members.
“Enterprises are at an inflection point in their cloud adoption,” said Olaf Pietschner, CEO for Capgemini in Asia-Pacific and Member of the Group Executive Committee. “Capgemini’s extensive transformation expertise combined with Empired’s strengths as a leader in Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365 will open up the full power of digital transformation for our clients in Australia and New Zealand, to run their entire business in the cloud and realize value faster. We look forward to welcoming Empired’s talented professionals to Capgemini.”
Empired’s Managing Director, Russell Baskerville said “Over the past 15 years Empired has been on a journey to build the most respected digital services company across Australia and New Zealand. Our strategy has delivered material growth in shareholder value and we are confident that being part of Capgemini will help to accelerate our combined market position in the coming years.”
Mr Baskerville went on to say, “If implemented, the Scheme will provide outstanding career opportunities for our people and have a positive impact for existing and prospective clients by providing them with access to the significant resources, service capabilities and international experience of Capgemini.”
Capgemini has been accelerating the digital transformation of its clients across industries locally, offering capabilities in strategy and transformation, application and technology, and operations and engineering. Earlier this year, Capgemini announced the acquisition of digital services consultancy provider RXP Services and SAP consulting and digital solution provider Acclimation.
The total proposed consideration for the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Empired (on a fully dilutive basis) would amount to A$233 million[1]. The implementation of the Scheme remains subject to certain conditions including Empired shareholders’ approval, court approval, granting of a New Zealand Overseas Investment Act direction order and other customary conditions for a transaction of this nature. Capgemini’s acquisition of Empired is expected to close in mid-November of 2021.
About Capgemini
Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of 270,000 team members in nearly 50 countries. With its strong 50 year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2020 global revenues of €16 billion.
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[1] Based on 160,301,595 ordinary shares on issue plus 12,575,751 converted performance rights.