August 19, 2019

Accenture Acquires Parker Fitzgerald, Enhancing Its Risk Advisory and Assurance Capabilities for the Financial Services Industry

Acquisition creates one of the largest risk and regulatory consulting practices in the U.K.

LONDON; Aug. 19, 2019 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Parker Fitzgerald, a strategic advisor and consulting partner to leading global financial institutions, further enhancing the business and technology capabilities within its Finance and Risk practice. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 2008 in response to the global financial crisis, Parker Fitzgerald advises financial services companies on financial and non-financial risk, regulation and financial technology. The firm provides strategic advice, independent assurance and market-leading solutions to help clients navigate risks, reduce operational complexity and improve their overall risk-adjusted performance.

Parker Fitzgerald’s advisory and assurance expertise and regulatory experience will complement Accenture’s consulting and technology capabilities and strengthen Accenture’s client response to the evolving risk landscape in financial services.

“Financial services companies continue to contend with the impact of economic and geopolitical uncertainties, regulatory challenges and digital transformation,” said Tara Brady, who leads Accenture’s Financial Services practice in the U.K. “Parker Fitzgerald has a successful track record helping clients navigate ever-increasing disruption and uncertainty, and the combination of their risk advisory and assurance expertise with Accenture’s consulting and digital capabilities will be a strong differentiator, enhancing our services to U.K. financial institutions.”

Scott Vincent, founder and CEO of Parker Fitzgerald said, “Helping clients optimize their performance in a rapidly evolving risk environment remains our utmost priority. Accenture’s tremendous scale and scope, coupled with their data- and technology-focused expertise in finance and risk, will enable us to expand our geographic reach and provide high-quality services to an even-broader client base.”

Peter Beardshaw, who leads Accenture’s Financial & Risk practice in the U.K., said, “Parker Fitzgerald’s skills, approach to financial risk management and long-standing regulatory relationships are at the heart of the risk management agenda and will enable us to provide clients with an even greater level of risk and assurance services and solutions.”

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 482,000 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.

About Parker Fitzgerald
Parker Fitzgerald is an award-winning strategic advisor and consulting partner to the world’s leading financial institutions. Headquartered in London, our global network of senior industry practitioners, technical experts and change specialists is trusted by the leaders of the world’s largest financial institutions, regulatory authorities and government agencies. We are experts in all areas of financial and non-financial risk, regulation and financial technology. We provide strategic advice, independent assurance and market-leading solutions to help our clients navigate their most critical issues, reduce complexity and improve their overall risk-adjusted performance. Our unparalleled knowledge and experience in financial services, world-class thinking and excellence in delivery has seen Parker Fitzgerald recognized as one of the most dynamic and progressive consulting firms in Europe.

For more information go to www.parker-fitzgerald.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 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 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 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; 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 geographic expansion, 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; 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 ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; 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 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; 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 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 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:

Melissa Volin
Accenture
+1 267 216 1815
melissa.volin@accenture.com