Accenture scoops up Shell's old IT

NEWS Consultancy firm Accenture has taken a four per cent equity stake in Shell spin-off Kalido, in a global deal that will launch the database start-up on the international market. Under the terms of the deal, Accenture will incorporate Kalido's knowledge management solution into its business integration consultancy service used by large multinational clients. Kalido started out as an internal IT division of Shell, producing a technology that integrated the thousands of different ERP and CRM systems used by the petrol giant. Since breaking away as an independent company in February it has signed customer deals with Unilever, Philips and a number of Shell subsidiary companies. The company has rapidly gained market share in the UK, and the time is ripe for a global assault according to Kalido CEO Andy Hayler. "Until now we've been working with good, solid UK players. But for a global roll out we're keen to have an alliance with companies like Accenture who have that global reputation," he said. With its global clout and recent high profile IPO, Accenture could have afforded to go for a bigger name partner. Stewart Clements, a partner in Accenture's finance and performance management division and a key player in forging the deal, explained why the company opted for Shell's ex-IT department. Clements said: "We like Kalido's solution and we were interested in getting it to a broader audience. They are effectively a start up and it have taken time to get the offering to a broader audience. The question is, would they have been able to do it at all without the involvement of a company like Accenture? I don't know."