November 20, 2020

Accenture Acquires Arca to Bolster its 5G Network Capabilities

Acquisition enhances Accenture’s ability to drive comprehensive transformation across 5G deployment and network operations

MADRID; Nov 20, 2020 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Arca, a Spanish engineering services company with a focus on network operations and business services. Its 640 employees will join Accenture in Spain.

Arca provides multidisciplinary services for network operations — including activities to engineer, design, deploy, and manage telecom infrastructure — supported by an integrated platform that automates network monitoring, optimizes processes and predicts system anomalies. The combination of these capabilities with Accenture’s SynOps platform will advance Accenture’s ability to help organizations pivot operating models to new sources of growth.

The acquisition will reinforce Accenture’s role as a key partner for the engineering, design, deployment and operation of network services —voice, data, video, fixed, mobile, 5G and IoT — for clients in the telecommunications, industrial, energy and infrastructure industries, among others. It will also enhance the company’s network capabilities in Spain and Portugal, offering clients a comprehensive set of transformation services across 5G network deployment, engineering, operations and industry services.

“5G, cloud and edge computing will usher in a new wave of change and innovation for businesses,” said Domingo Mirón, who leads Accenture’s business in Iberia. “To realize their full potential, companies must act now to adopt the right strategy and build new business solutions enabled by network investments. By harnessing Arca’s expertise, this acquisition will strengthen our ability to help clients accelerate their 5G Cloud network transformation from design through to deployment and operation.”

Manish Sharma, group chief executive of Accenture Operations, said “The transformation required for industrial sectors to modernize systems, processes, products and services will only be possible with deep expertise of the underlying networks that support these disruptive technologies. Arca’s vast experience with network services fully complements Accenture’s strategy of driving shared value with clients through the collaboration of human ingenuity and digital technology. Together, we will help clients adapt their operating model, expand the skills of their people and drive innovation to unlock the full potential of 5G.”

Founded in 1998, Arca has vast experience working with network operators, telco infrastructure services enterprises and other large companies to help them transform their business and processes and implement new communications technologies. Arca also offers business services such as sales support, analytics, process assessment, provisioning and service assurance. The company has 14 offices across Spain including Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Sevilla, Vigo and Malaga.

“Our vision at Arca has always been to be a reliable partner on any type of telecommunications project and differentiate what we do by innovative processes, deep expertise and unparalleled talent,” said César Cid, Arca’s CEO. “Joining Accenture will enable us to advance our successful journey exponentially, especially as we bring capabilities to a global scale and capitalize on the breadth and depth of Accenture’s expertise across nearly every industry and market.”

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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, Interactive, Technology and Operations services — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 506,000 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 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,” “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. Many of the following risks, uncertainties and other factors identified below are, and will be, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. These risks include, without limitation, risks that: the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been significantly adversely affected and could in the future be materially adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; 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 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 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; Accenture could face legal, reputational and financial risks if the company fails 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 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 ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; 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; 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’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; 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 might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; 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; 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; 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, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q 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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Contact:

Berta Díaz
Accenture
+691 33 88 89
berta.diaz.olivas@accenture.com

Jenn Francis
Accenture
+1 630 338 6426
jennifer.francis@accenture.com