March 21, 2017

Accenture Completes Acquisition of OCTO Technology, Expands Digital Services Offering in France

OCTO becomes part of Accenture Digital after all shares successfully purchased by Accenture

PARIS; Mar. 21, 2017 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has completed its acquisition of OCTO Technology, a technology consultancy specializing in digital transformation services and software development. OCTO has become part of Accenture Digital, expanding Accenture’s digital services offering in France.

“We thank OCTO’s leadership and employees for supporting this acquisition. It shows the confidence they have in this initiative, which enables us to build a unique end-to-end digital transformation service offering in the French market,” said Christian Nibourel, country managing director for Accenture in France and Benelux. “Our clients now have access to an expanded range of digital skills and industry experience, which, combined with our ability to quickly scale solutions, are unmatched in the market.”

“OCTO brings deep technology expertise, particularly in data science and mobile applications, and a strong culture of successful innovation, which we will leverage to create digital solutions tailored to each of our clients, and which can be quickly scaled,” said Pascal Delorme, Accenture Digital lead, France and Benelux. “Companies and organizations have different requirements in terms of digital transformation, depending on where they are on their journey. The addition of OCTO to Accenture Digital’s existing capabilities allows us to provide solutions that match all these needs – whether it is to help clients identify, test and adopt new business models based on emerging technologies, or to quickly implement at scale more mature digital technologies.”

François Hisquin, CEO and founder of OCTO said: “I am very pleased for OCTO to join Accenture, as we share the same vision, understanding of digital transformation issues and culture of excellence. OCTO has become a real jewel in the French technology service market thanks to its unique identity, agility, methodologies and innovative management, as well as its strong corporate culture. It’s this DNA and the drive to imagine the future and change the rules that caught Accenture’s attention. We will preserve and share this so that clients can take advantage of the synergies which allow us to see further, bigger and faster.”

Accenture has acquired a 100 percent shareholding in OCTO through a cash tender offer, which was supported unanimously by the supervisory board of OCTO. Following the purchase of the total shareholding, OCTO has been delisted from the Alternext stock exchange in Paris.

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 more than 394,000 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.

Accenture Digital , comprised of Accenture Analytics, Accenture Interactive and Accenture Mobility, offers a comprehensive portfolio of business and technology services across digital marketing, mobility and analytics. From developing digital strategies to implementing digital technologies and running digital processes on their behalf, Accenture Digital helps clients leverage connected and mobile devices; extract insights from data using analytics; and enrich end-customer experiences and interactions, delivering tangible results from the virtual world and driving growth. To learn more about Accenture Digital, follow us @AccentureDigi and visit www.accenture.com/digital.]

About OCTO Technology
OCTO Technology is a technology consultancy specializing in digital transformation and software development operating in five countries: France (headquarter), Morocco, Switzerland, Brazil and Australia. OCTO has nearly 380 employees with specialized digital technology skills, including Big Data and analytics, user experience design, and mobile services delivery. Awarded the Great Place to Work® award (companies under 500 employees) for each of its four participations, OCTO also runs the successful ‘

Unexpected Sources of Inspiration

’ (USI) event each year in Paris where leaders, industry innovators and technology entrepreneurs exchange ideas, draw inspiration and discuss the digital transformations in our societies.

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 transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’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; Accenture’s business depends on generating and maintaining ongoing, profitable client demand for the company’s services and solutions including through the adaptation and expansion of its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an inability to respond to the changing technological environment could materially affect the company’s results of operations; if Accenture 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 Accenture competes are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; Accenture could have liability or Accenture’s reputation could be damaged if the company fails to protect client and/or company data from security breaches or cyberattacks; Accenture’s profitability could materially suffer if the company is unable to obtain favorable pricing for its services and solutions, if the company is unable to remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies; changes in Accenture’s level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in their interpretation or enforcement, could have a material adverse effect on the company’s effective tax rate, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Accenture’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; Accenture’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; Accenture might not be successful at identifying, acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; Accenture’s Global Delivery Network is increasingly concentrated in India and the Philippines, which may expose it to operational risks; as a result of Accenture’s geographically diverse operations and its growth strategy to continue geographic expansion, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; adverse changes to Accenture’s relationships with key alliance partners or in the business of its key alliance partners could adversely affect the company’s results of operations; Accenture’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 Accenture is unable to protect its intellectual property rights from unauthorized use or infringement by third parties, its business could be adversely affected; Accenture’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; if Accenture 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 Accenture makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; many of Accenture’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; Accenture’s results of operations and share price could be adversely affected if it is unable to maintain effective internal controls; Accenture 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.

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Contacts:

Joanna Vos
Accenture
+ 44 7500 835588
joanna.r.vos@accenture.com

Francois Luu
Accenture
+ 33 1 53 23 68 55
francois.luu@accenture.com