A Springboard To Services

It is a little disappointing that Apple decided to launch the I-Phone in Europe before Asia Pacific. It seems that the 3 billion or more consumers in the region wil have to wait until the 700 million or so Europeans have their play first. Given the innovative and dynamic nature of the Asian marketplace and the overwhelming consumer orientation, this is a little disappointing decision by Apple. This is also true as a result of network issues that exist in Europe in terms of the I-Phone. Clearly the consumer based enterprises that are able to prioritise Asia in the future will win out rapidly, this may not effect Apple short term, but firms who continue to hold this view may pay a price at the register.

Thanks to Dane Anderson for alerting me to this,

News today that Fujitsu NZ has acquired Infinity Solutions in NZ. Infinity Solutions is a NZ$60M or so provider in the market with a range of capabilities from acting as a reseller to consulting.
This is a good sign for Fujitsu, they do have a strong NZ business, and it highlights that even a US$40B IT company can invest locally. It is in part similar to the HP and Cap Gemini NZ buy out of a couple of years ago. It will give extra scale and more client relationships across NZ and in a range of enterprises from a company size and vertical point of view. It is also good that Fujitsu has decided to invest in NZ, not exit the company as others such as Accenture and CSC have done in the past.

Accenture has finished off an exceptional year in terms of revenue growth, total revenue for the year was $19.7B, with growth of 13% in local currenciews and 18% in US$. All geogaphies, operating groups (industries), and business groups, ie consulting and outsourcing all experienced double digit growth in US$ terms. This is a very strong perfomance, and puts Accenture in such a strong position to leverage increasing market opportunities.

Some other key benchmarks

EMEA is still larger than the US

AP hit $1,7B, with 33% growth in US$ terms

Consulting out grew outsouring

Profitability was very strong

Overall these are impressive numbers and have highlighted the strength and depth of client engagement that Accenture is currently providing. The real task at hand is to manage expectations, and the required investments in people and process  as well as to continue a very strong benchmark.

Bottom line they are certain to be the next vendor to hit $20B in revenues, and are closing in on EDS who are growing, but at a more modest 5% per annum.

Murdoch now has very young children and grandchildren as well as adult children, perhaps a view towards his young children's future (I am not always cynical)