Innovation broadens Accenture’s horizons

David Thomlinson took up his position as managing director of Accenture UK and Ireland on 1 September last year.

Just weeks into his new job he had to announce that the consulting and outsourcing giant was bowing out of its £2bn contract with the NHS National Programme (Computing, 5 October).

Perhaps not the best start to a new job, but Thomlinson says the firm has turned a corner and its well-documented fall from NHS grace is consigned to history.

‘In terms of market reputation it had minimum impact, and from my perspective it is very much history,’ he said. ‘I am now working with our executive team to look forward and grow the business.’

The company has five main sectors that it works across – government, communications and high-tech, financial services, resources and products – and Thomlinson says its experience with the National Programme has not soured its enthusiasm for taking on further government contracts.

‘I have worked for Accenture for 20 years and government work has been a major part of our business and continues to be so,’ he said.

Thomlinson is not ruling out bidding for work on the forthcoming ID cards scheme.

But the company is keen to spread its wings in all its sectors, and is embroiled in a major recruitment programme.

It hopes to employ 2,500 new staff in the UK and Ireland alone this year, significantly adding to its existing 11,500 employees in the region.

Innovation is key to its growth strategy. It spends $250m (£125m) a year on research and development, which it says helps it maintain a market-leading position.

‘Innovation is absolutely essential for us,’ said Thomlinson. ‘Being a market leader is a very good position to be in, but clearly you do not stay there unless you continuously change.’

‘You could be doing well now, but if you are going to be there for the long term, you need to innovate,’ he said.

And it is not just Accenture that is innovating. Thomlinson says the organisation is witnessing a marked shift in the way businesses use technology.

‘The growth agenda is becoming more important. There has been a lot of focus on cost-cutting and growth improvement, but now companies are starting to show an interest in how they can connect with customers and drive growth,’ he said.

‘UK players and multinationals are making significant IT investments in terms of standardising business processes around a global business and technology is beginning to mature.

‘Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is not quite the now thing, but I think it is moving from just something that is hyped up to something that people are starting to need,’ he said.