As it moves forward with its bold expansion plans, KPMG Fiji has acquired Microsoft specialist Acton for an undisclosed sum. Meanwhile, the firm is looking to employ 500 people over the next three years.
The Fijian branch of professional services firm KPMG is making good on last year’s promise of a significant expansion with the acquisition of local digital transformation provider Acton, while the firm also readies to move into brand new Nadi offices next month.
KPMG Fiji together with the network’s Papua New Guinea outlet integrated with KPMG Australia’s Enterprise practice under a KPMG South Pacific banner in the middle of 2021.
Acton managing director Shobha Reddy and fellow co-founders Sanjesh Kumar and Mukesh Lodhia will now join KPMG as directors in Suva. “Acton has a strong track record in the Fiji marketplace and extensive experience working with both SMEs and leading brands like KPMG,” Reddy said. “We are looking forward to being part of the firm and to being able to deliver integrated Microsoft solutions that support client growth strategies.”
Established in 2017 and backed by Bradley Stroop, the founder and former CEO of UXC Eclipse which was acquired by CSC (now DXC Technology) in 2016, Acton offers a range of cloud technology services across the Microsoft suite, including Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations.
KPMG stated that the acquisition would help improve the broader delivery of Microsoft solutions to its mid-market clients across the South Pacific region. Acton lifts KPMG’s headcount with around 30 staff.
“Being able to offer an extensive suite of Microsoft products together with the implementation outcomes mid-market businesses need will greatly benefit our clients,” said KPMG’s South Pacific practice lead partner Michael Yee Joy. “It will help them improve and transform their finance and related functions and ultimately deliver enhanced efficiencies through utilising such products as the Microsoft Business Central solution.”
The Acton acquisition follows on from KPMG’s announcement last year that the firm intends to significantly up its Fiji footprint to a headcount of 500 by 2025, a sizeable jump from the 160 or so employed across its Suva and Nadi offices at the time. To accommodate that growth, the firm is currently awaiting to move into modern new offices in Nadi, which are scheduled for completion in late April and will cover three floors.
“Our intention is to continue to grow quite dramatically in the next three years, because we see an enormous opportunity to provide greater services across the Pacific and into Australia as well,” said KPMG Enterprise managing partner Paul Howes, who last year also oversaw an expansion into North Queensland. “There is a good focus in Fiji at the moment on the outsourcing opportunity and KPMG wants to be at the forefront of that opportunity.”
Earlier this year in Australia, KPMG acquired Adelaide-based SAP specialist Think180.
Sourced from Consultancy.com.au