Cognizant is working to enhance the company's digital portfolio and market presence in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), with the announcement of a new acquisition.
Cognizant has entered into an agreement to acquire Servian, a Sydney-based, privately held enterprise transformation consultancy specialising in data analytics, artificial intelligence, digital services, experience design and cloud.
Servian is Cognizant's 10th digital-focused acquisition announced since January 2020, highlighting Cognizant's strategy to accelerate capabilities and growth in priority areas of data and artificial intelligence, digital engineering, cloud, and internet of things across the globe.
The acquisition of Servian expands Cognizant's integrated, end-to-end digital transformation capabilities in ANZ to help clients move to the cloud, build digital products and services, unlock value from data, modernise enterprise applications, and achieve operational excellence, the company states.
Cognizant ANZ CEO Jane Livesey says, “Enterprises in Australia and New Zealand are at an inflection point in their digital adoption.
“Cognizant's extensive digital expertise combined with Servian's strengths as the premier technology partner in the region will open up the full power of digital transformation for our Australasian clients.
"We look forward to welcoming Servian's talented digital-native professionals to Cognizant.
Servian founder and CEO Tony Nicol also commented on the announcement, highlighting potential growth opportunities.
He says, “Enabling clients to leverage their data assets for accelerating business transformation and driving competitive advantage is at the heart of our success.
“We share Cognizant's passion for innovation powered by digital technologies.
"With Cognizant's deep industry expertise and global scale, we will be able to apply our strengths in strategic advisory, engineering delivery, and managed services across an even broader spectrum of challenges and opportunities presented by the digital economy.
Cognizant's more than 1,200 professionals in Australia serve more than 110 clients, including Australian banks, insurers, retailers, and communications companies.
In the last few years, the company has consistently strengthened its in-country cloud, product engineering, platform, Salesforce, and Workday capabilities to expand its digital business in Australia.
Founded in 2008, Servian has worked with more than 190 major companies in ANZ in the banking, telecommunications, insurance, retail, and government sectors, including eight of ANZ's 15 largest companies.
Upon the close of the acquisition, Servian's more than 500 technology and consulting professionals, based primarily in Australia and New Zealand, will join Cognizant, doubling the size of Cognizant's cloud and data team in ANZ.
Servian brings expertise in many major digital technologies and has partnerships with recognisable names in the industry, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Snowflake, Oracle, HashiCorp, Talend, Informatica and Red Hat.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021, subject to regulatory clearance and other closing conditions. Financial details were not disclosed.