Accenture is one of the largest professional services companies on the planet. Originating from the consulting arm of Arthur Andersen, Accenture became an independent company in 2001 and is now headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, for tax purposes, though its largest operations are in the United States and India. The company trades on the NYSE and reported revenue of $64.1 billion for fiscal year 2024.
With over 730,000 employees across more than 120 countries, Accenture’s scale is hard to grasp. The company is organized into industry groups covering communications and media, financial services, health and public service, products, and resources. Its service lines span strategy and consulting, technology services, operations, and Accenture Song (formerly Accenture Interactive), which has become one of the world’s largest digital agencies.
Accenture has been aggressive with acquisitions, buying dozens of companies each year to build capabilities in areas like cloud, cybersecurity, AI, and digital transformation. Notable acquisitions include Droga5 (a creative agency), Symantec’s cybersecurity services business, and numerous cloud and data analytics firms.
The company’s technology partnerships run deep — it’s one of the largest partners for AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce, SAP, and Oracle. Accenture employs tens of thousands of developers and engineers who implement and customize these platforms for enterprise clients.
For better or worse, Accenture is often the default choice for large enterprises embarking on major technology transformations. The company’s size means it can staff massive projects quickly, though critics point to the same consulting industry challenges: high rates, junior staff on senior engagements, and an incentive structure that can favor lengthy engagements over efficient solutions.
