Accenture Acquires Nokia Professional Services Arm

Looking to expand its capabilities for embedded software services in
mobile devices, particularly smartphones, Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has
announced plans to acquire Symbian Professional Services Operations
from Nokia.

The Nokia business unit provides engineering consulting and product
services to mobile phone manufacturers, chipmakers and mobile operators
around the world. Services will include advanced technical support,
device-tuning, error diagnoses and repair and turnkey software
development services.

The Nokia business unit includes about 165 professional services
engineers and consultants that will transfer to Accenture as a result
of the agreement.

“The acquisition of the Symbian professional services unit will enhance
Accenture’s existing embedded software, product-development and testing
skills to help players in the mobile solutions ecosystem address
ever-more-demanding time-to-market and quality requirements,” says Jean
Laurent Poitou, managing director of Accenture’s Electronics and High
Tech industry group, in a statement.

“The capabilities we are acquiring from Nokia will help support the
tremendous growth our clients can expect from the explosive adoption of
converged mobile multimedia services and will expand Accenture’s role
as a key supplier of new tools, products and solutions to clients in
this industry,” he adds.

The deal is expected to close within 90 days.