Accenture buys Italian SAP specialist Ethica Consulting Group

Continuing its global acquisition campaign, Accenture has acquired Ethica Consulting Group, a group of SAP-focused technology companies based in Italy.

With headquarters in Treviso and several offices across Italy, Ethica Consulting Group comprises three affiliate companies – ICM.S, Altevie Technologies and Espedia – each specialised in specific areas of SAP technology. 

With a heritage of over 20 years in the SAP domain, with a focus on mid-sized Italian businesses, Ethica Consulting Group is a SAP Platinum Partner. Its subsidiaries help companies with designing and implementing SAP solutions and has expertise in several industries including manufacturing, services and retail. 

The deal sees approximately 400 SAP specialists join Accenture’s SAP Business Group in Italy. “Ethica’s significant skills and experience complements our own technical and industry expertise and will be invaluable to our clients in Italy as they evolve and fully leverage the potential of cloud to become intelligent enterprises,” said Alessandro Marin, Accenture Technology lead for Italy, Central Europe and Greece. 

“Bringing in Ethica’s talent and resources will allow us to further scale our SAP capabilities in Italy.” 

Fabio Benasso, country managing director for Accenture Italy, Central Europe and Greece, said that the deal aligns with the firm’s strategy to expand its digital transformation capabilities. 

Globally, Accenture is notorious for turning to inorganic growth to accelerate capability building. In the first half of 2021 alone, Accenture has closed over 20 deals, with the majority of deals focused on technology skills. The firm’s Strategy & Consulting division closed the bolt-ons of Exton Consulting (France), Homburg & Partner (Germany), Cirrus (UK), GRA (Australia) and Future State (US). 

Meanwhile, for Ethica Consulting Group, the joining of forces with the global giant enables the firm to “provide an end-to-end technology solution” while deepening its “SAP solutions for the Italian market with global capabilities,” said Ilio Sanguin, president and founder of Ethica Consulting Group.

In related consulting M&A news in Italy, CVC Capital Partners recently acquired a majority stake in BIP, while Bain & Company purchased 20-strong Italian data science boutique Pangea (its first deal since the landmark Qvartz transaction).