August 09, 2022

Accenture Acquires Leadership Firm YSC Consulting to Enhance C-Suite and Board Transformations

LONDON; Aug. 9, 2022 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired YSC Consulting, a CEO advisory and leadership consultancy that helps organizations align leadership strategies with their business goals to achieve transformational change. The acquisition strengthens Accenture’s capabilities to advise the CEO, C-Suite, and Board with solutions to boost performance and build leadership teams for the future. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Serving corporate and private equity clients for more than 30 years, YSC Consulting has a proven track record in helping organizations to define their leadership strategies and assess and develop their C-suite and senior executive teams. Headquartered in the U.K., and with teams also based in North America, Singapore, Australia, Mexico, China, and South Africa, YSC Consulting’s team of more than 200 employees joins Accenture’s Talent & Organization / Human Potential team.

Combining deep expertise in leadership development with data-driven insights, YSC Consulting helps organizations achieve transformational impact with bespoke solutions in C-Suite assessment, team dynamics and effectiveness, diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, CEO succession planning and board effectiveness.

YSC Consulting has been a partner to 45% of the FTSE 100 and serves more than 40% of the largest private equity firms globally with services tailored to private equity funds and their portfolio companies — a move which expands Accenture’s deep industry expertise for private equity clients.

“Leaders must meet new expectations to win the hearts and minds of employees and customers in a rapidly changing world,” said Christie Smith, global lead of Talent & Organization / Human Potential at Accenture. “Successful business leaders thrive through the application of meaningful purpose and the use of technology to lead with accuracy, speed, empathy, and transparency. It’s at the cross-section of these values where Accenture and YSC Consulting truly align. We look forward to coming together and helping clients maximize their impact and carve a successful future steered by modern leadership.”

YSC Consulting Chief Executive, Eric Pliner, said, “For more than three decades, YSC Consulting has supported and inspired CEOs and their teams around the world to shape the future through the intentional design of thoughtful approaches to leadership. At a moment when the world needs brilliant leadership more than ever, we are thrilled to join Accenture and bring the best of our expertise in individual leadership, team dynamics, diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, and technology-enabled talent analytics in a respected and rapidly growing platform.”

Accenture’s global CEO-led Workforce Transformation Lead, John-Paul Pape, said, “In order for leaders to confront today’s market challenges, they must develop themselves and their people to be able to execute courageous strategies. YSC Consulting has garnered respect from Boards, Chief Executives, and their teams by re-energizing their organizations with new leadership and talent strategies – all fueled by the power of data and insights. Together we will empower business leaders to re-invent the way they lead and shape a successful future for their organizations, customers, employees, communities, and the world.”

YSC Consulting complements Accenture’s most recent Talent & Organization / Human Potential acquisitions — Cirrus, fable+, Future State and Root Inc. in 2021 and Kates Kesler in 2020 — which aim to create new ways to deliver value and help clients build strategies for the future of work.

Accenture acquired YSC Consulting from U.K. private equity firm Graphite Capital.

About Accenture
Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Technology and Operations services and Accenture Song — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 710,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at 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 risks include, without limitation, risks that: the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic and political conditions, including the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the related sanctions and other measures that have been and continue to be imposed in response to this conflict, as well as the current inflationary environment, and the effects of these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; Accenture faces legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks; 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 evolving technological environment could materially affect the company’s results of operations; if Accenture is unable to match people and skills 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 COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Accenture’s business and operations, and the extent to which it will continue to do so and its impact on the company’s future financial results are uncertain; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; Accenture’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with key alliance partners or fails to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, the company’s results of operations could be adversely affected; 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 or fail to satisfy certain agreed-upon targets or specific service levels; 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; changes to accounting standards or in the estimates and assumptions Accenture makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; Accenture might be unable to access additional capital on favorable terms or at all and if the company raises equity capital, it may dilute its shareholders’ ownership interest in the company; as a result of Accenture’s geographically diverse operations and its growth strategy to continue to expand in its key markets around the world, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; Accenture might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; Accenture’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture’s global operations expose the company to numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory requirements; Accenture’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; if Accenture is unable to protect or enforce its intellectual property rights or if Accenture’s services or solutions infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others, its business could be adversely affected; 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:

Natalie de Freitas
Accenture
+44380 799 196
Natalie.de.freitas@accenture.com

Michelle Schneider
Accenture
+1 412 874 0282
michelle.schneider@accenture.com

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