April 8, 2024

Accenture to Acquire CLIMB to Expand Technology Capabilities

Acquisition brings talented resources to global clients in Japan while spurring innovation for local economic growth

NEW YORK and TOKYO; April 8, 2024 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire CLIMB, a technology services provider specializing in system integration, IT infrastructure management and operations, primarily in the Gunma Prefecture. The acquisition of CLIMB brings more critical skills for global organizations in Japan to navigate technology change.

In particular, CLIMB's expertise will accelerate application and infrastructure modernization services for financial institutions and government agencies to achieve digital transformation. Accenture’s investment in CLIMB will also enable local teams to continue to revitalize the local ICT (Information Communication Technology) industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Since its establishment in 1989, CLIMB has demonstrated a high level of expertise in multiple areas from the development of core banking and mission-critical systems to the management and operations of IT infrastructure for organizations, such as domestic financial institutions, manufacturers, telecommunications carriers and government agencies, mainly in Maebashi City, where the company was founded. Currently, CLIMB has approximately 200 engineers who are trained in cloud and security technologies and application management services. The CLIMB engineers will join Accenture Technology.

“There are many talented engineers in regional areas of Japan who are leading digital transformation work," said Atsushi Egawa who leads Accenture’s business in Japan. “Providing opportunities for these individuals to shine on the global stage will help elevate their skills to new heights, while at the same time revitalizing the local economy. With a clear trend of people and businesses returning to the domestic market, the vibrant growth of local communities is essential for the sustainable development of Japan. Adding the CLIMB team, who take an innovative and exemplary approach especially to the financial industry, demonstrates how we continue to invest in Japan. We are planting more local roots through our team’s high value work in local communities.”

Osamu Kanai, CLIMB’s President, stated, "CLIMB's most important management principle is 'maximizing employee happiness.’ Only when every employee is happy can we provide rewarding work and value-added services to our clients. By joining Accenture, our people will have unprecedented growth and exposure opportunities. With Accenture’s unique ability to resolve issues faced by clients and society with a holistic approach, we will be able to maximize the happiness of our people who, in turn, will contribute to the further enhancement of the ICT industry in the region.”

Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions.

About CLIMB
Since its founding in 1989, CLIMB has been committed to its mission of making people's lives and society more convenient through ICT, and making everyone in the world happier, with the happiness of its employees as its highest objective.
For more information about CLIMB, please visit https://www.climb-net.co.jp/

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 742,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.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,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “goal,” “target” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation, risks that: Accenture and CLIMB will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties’ ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; 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 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 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 their 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; Accenture faces legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks; 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; Accenture’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments and disclosures may expose it to reputational risks and legal liability; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with key ecosystem 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; as a result of Accenture’s geographically diverse operations and strategy to continue to grow in 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 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.

# # #