May 06, 2020

Accenture Acquires Leading Organization Design Consultancy Kates Kesler to Help Clients Design, Activate and Scale Change

Addition of new methodology and experts will bolster existing C-suite offerings for companies navigating organizational change and business model disruption

NEW YORK; May 6, 2020 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Kates Kesler, an organization design consultancy headquartered in New York City that helps many of the world’s largest companies execute their growth strategies. Kates Kesler joins Accenture’s Talent & Organization / Human Potential practice, adding new methodologies and organizational design solutions that will expand existing C-suite offerings including: People Experience, Organization, Leadership & Culture, Work & Workforce, Digital Core, Business & Change Agility, Intelligent Operating Model and Living Systems.

Kates Kesler is one of the most respected firms in the field of organization design, both for its insights and design processes as well as for its highly participative methodology. The latter has become the standard for organization design across industries, and central to the company’s many recognitions, which include being named one of Forbes’ ‘Best Management Consulting Firms’ four years in a row.

“Many of our clients were already shifting their operating models in response to dramatic changes in their business strategies even before the COVID-19 global pandemic hit,” said Eva Sage-Gavin, who leads Accenture’s Global Talent & Organization / Human Potential practice. “Kates Kesler’s recognized experts and leading methodology are a natural complement to our existing offerings in this area and will enhance our ability to outmaneuver today’s never normal for and with our clients.”

NEWS: We’re pleased to welcome Kates Kesler, a leading organization design consultancy, and their team of experts to Accenture.

Kates Kesler was founded in 2010 by Amy Kates and Greg Kesler, thought leaders and practitioners who have authored numerous books on organization design. Their most recent book, Bridging Organization Design and Performance, guides CEOs in activating their global operating models. In addition to consulting, the firm helps their clients build internal capability, including through executive education programs with leading universities globally.

“Sharing our work with clients and building the field of organization design have always been priorities for us, and joining Accenture scales that ambition to new highs,” said Amy Kates, a Kates Kesler co-founder.

Greg Kesler, Kates Kesler’s other co-founder, added “The opportunity to scale what we do and bring the strategy, technology and innovation assets of Accenture to bear in our organization work is an exciting vision.”

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. We combine unmatched experience and specialized capabilities across more than 40 industries — powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. With 509,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture brings continuous innovation to help clients improve their performance and create lasting value across their enterprises. 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. For a discussion of risks and actions taken in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, see “Our results of operations have been adversely affected and could in the future be materially adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19)” under Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in Accenture plc’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended February 29, 2020. Many of the following risks, uncertainties and other factors identified below are, and will be, amplified by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). These risks include, without limitation, risks that: the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been adversely affected and could in the future be materially adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19); Accenture’s results of operations could 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 breaches or cyberattacks; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; 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 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; Accenture’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; 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; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; 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 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; many of Accenture’s contracts include fees subject to the attainment of targets or specific service levels, which could increase the variability of the company’s revenues and impact its margins; 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 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:

Tourang Nazari
Accenture
+1 202 322 4640
tourang.nazari@accenture.com