HOUSTON -- (Business Wire)
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has completed the acquisition of Structure, a
provider of consulting, system integration and customized solutions and
services to energy and utilities clients. The transaction expands and
enhances Accenture’s deep experience and capabilities in smart grid
solutions, especially grid operations, as well as commodity trading and
risk management (CTRM).
“Our ability to provide comprehensive end-to-end solutions and services
in the grid operations and commodities trading space to a wider variety
of utilities and energy clients is significantly enhanced by this
combination,” said Peggy Kostial, senior managing director for
Accenture’s North America Resources operating group.
In the utilities industry, the combination adds Structure’s deep skills,
including those in grid operations, with Accenture’s global strengths in
information technology (IT) to support the integration of operational
technologies (OT) with IT systems. Examples include the deployment of
advanced distribution management systems and automation solutions, as
well as improved outage management and grid analytics.
In commodities trading, the transaction strengthens Accenture’s business
capabilities with utilities, mid-stream pipeline and energy companies.
It brings Structure’s end-to-end expertise in market operations and
commodities trading to help clients optimize their assets and commercial
portfolios in natural gas, electric power, chemicals and crude oil.
As announced earlier this month, Structure’s approximately 200 employees
will operate within Accenture’s Resources operating group.
"Over the last few weeks, the reaction from our people, clients, and
industry partners has been overwhelmingly positive with many parties
excited about the strategic synergies of our businesses,” said Lelon
Winstead, Structure managing partner. "Today, we turn our attention
towards realizing those strategic synergies by integrating our
businesses to maximize the value for our clients and create growth
opportunities for our people."
Founded in 1998, Structure has been consistently recognized in its field
since 2010 with more than a dozen industry awards for growth, advisory
services and solutions that make utilities and energy clients’
transformational strategies achievable.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and
outsourcing company, with approximately 319,000 people serving clients
in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience,
comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions,
and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies,
Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance
businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of
US$30.0 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014. Its home page
is www.accenture.com.
About Structure
Structure is a leading provider of business advisory, system integration
and customized solution development services focused exclusively on the
energy and utilities industries. Structure relies on deep industry
expertise and proven methodologies to deliver energy technology
platforms for the next generation across Energy Trading and Risk
Management, Smart Grid / Distribution Operations / Distribution
Automation, SCADA and Energy Management Systems, and Competitive Energy
Market Solutions. Its website is: www.thestructuregroup.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 the company; the company’s results
of operations could be adversely affected by volatile, negative or
uncertain economic conditions and the effects of these conditions on the
company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; the
company’s business depends on generating and maintaining ongoing,
profitable client demand for the company’s services and solutions, and a
significant reduction in such demand could materially affect the
company’s results of operations; if the company 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; the markets in which the company competes are highly
competitive, and the company might not be able to compete effectively;
the company could have liability or the company’s reputation could be
damaged if the company fails to protect client and/or company data or
information systems as obligated by law or contract or if the company’s
information systems are breached; the company’s results of operations
and ability to grow could be materially negatively affected if the
company cannot adapt and expand its services and solutions in response
to ongoing changes in technology and offerings by new entrants; the
company’s results of operations could materially suffer if the company
is not able to obtain sufficient pricing to enable it to meet its
profitability expectations; if the company does not accurately
anticipate the cost, risk and complexity of performing its work or if
the third parties upon whom it relies do not meet their commitments,
then the company’s contracts could have delivery inefficiencies and be
less profitable than expected or unprofitable; the company’s results of
operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in
foreign currency exchange rates; the company’s profitability could
suffer if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful, and the
company may not be able to improve its profitability through
improvements to cost-management to the degree it has done in the past;
the company’s business could be materially adversely affected if the
company incurs legal liability; the company’s work with government
clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the
government contracting environment; the company might not be successful
at identifying, acquiring or integrating businesses or entering into
joint ventures; the company’s Global Delivery Network is increasingly
concentrated in India and the Philippines, which may expose it to
operational risks; changes in the company’s level of taxes, as well as
audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in the company’s
treatment as an Irish company, could have a material adverse effect on
the company’s results of operations and financial condition; as a result
of the company’s geographically diverse operations and its growth
strategy to continue geographic expansion, the company is more
susceptible to certain risks; adverse changes to the company’s
relationships with key alliance partners or in the business of its key
alliance partners could adversely affect the company’s results of
operations; the company’s services or solutions could infringe upon the
intellectual property rights of others or the company might lose its
ability to utilize the intellectual property of others; if the company
is unable to protect its intellectual property rights from unauthorized
use or infringement by third parties, its business could be adversely
affected; the company’s ability to attract and retain business and
employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; many of the
company’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; if the company is unable
to collect its receivables or unbilled services, the company’s results
of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely
affected; if the company is unable to manage the organizational
challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to
achieve its business objectives; the company’s share price and results
of operations could fluctuate and be difficult to predict; the company’s
results of operations and share price could be adversely affected if it
is unable to maintain effective internal controls; any changes to the
estimates and assumptions that the company makes in connection with the
preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely
affect its financial results; the company 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.
Contacts:
Accenture
Guy Cantwell, 281-900-9089
guy.cantwell@accenture.com
or
Justyna
Devraj, + 44-20-7844-0090
+ 44-750-012-4567
justyna.devraj@accenture.com
Source: Accenture
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