The business now known as Accenture was once a division of Kentucky-based accounting firm Arthur Andersen. But after conducting a feasibility study for General Electric’s pioneering UNIVAC I computer, the consultancy arm began to make a case for becoming a standalone organisation.
It would take around 30 years for Anderson Consulting to launch as a separate entity and another 20 before the company would adopt the name we are familiar with today. In 2001, Accenture launched with much fanfare on the New York Stock Exchange, raising almost USD 2bn on the first day of its IPO.
Today, Accenture’s solution portfolio has expanded to include four divisions: Accenture Strategy and Consulting, Accenture Song, Accenture Technology and Accenture Operations. In all, the company employs over 738,000 people worldwide, serves 9,000 clients across 49 countries and oversees an ecosystem of more than 249 partners.
Here in the UAE, Accenture offers its industry-leading capabilities and solutions in digital, cloud and security to more than 40 industries. The company was also chosen by the Central Bank of the UAE to develop and support the country’s national payments infrastructure. Accenture’s platform now supports next-generation, real-time payments throughout the region, 24 hours a day.
Naturally, Accenture’s international impact has seen it receive numerous awards and accolades over the years. The company has been featured in the Fortune Global 500 for 21 years in a row, the Forbes Global 2000 for 19 years in a row, and the Brand Finance Most Valuable IT Services Brands list for five years in a row.
The company has also spent 16 consecutive years on the Ethisphere World’s Most Ethical Companies list, thanks in no small part to its countless community development and sustainability projects. With annual revenues of USD 61.6bn last year, its financial returns are just as remarkable.
