The Scoop...

Almighty Accenture

Accenture - known as Andersen Consulting until January 1, 2001 - is among the world's leading providers of management and technology consulting services and solutions. With more than 71,000 people in 46 countries, Accenture can draw from a vast array of industrial and technical expertise. Consultants in its five global market units (Communications & High Tech, Financial Services, Government, Products and Resources) and its eight service lines (Customer Relationship Management, Finance & Performance Management, Human Performance, Strategy & Business Architecture, Supply Chain Management, Technology Research & Innovation, Solutions Engineering and Solutions Operations) work together to design and deliver strategies and solutions for 84 of the Fortune Global 100 and more than half of the Fortune Global 500 - not to mention several hundred startups and spin-offs. The firm's huge staff and technological savvy enable it to bring both focus and massive manpower to any consulting task.

Size, strength and a public offering

Accenture works with more than 2,000 client organizations worldwide, and its revenues topped the $10 billion mark for the first time in 2000 after $8.9 billion in revenues in 1999. Accenture's work for over 800 e-commerce clients brings in approximately $1.5 billion of its total revenue. The firm has grand plans for the future with a mission to be a global "market maker, architect and builder of the new marketplace, developing innovations to improve the way the world works and lives." What does this mean? For starters, Accenture has committed to invest in new businesses over the next three years. Also, in October 2000, Accenture's partners agreed to proceed with investigations into a possible partial public offering. In April 2001, the firm's partners voted to proceed with an initial public offering. Accenture enlisted Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley as co-leads for the offering.