Capgemini is growing fast, hiring faster

French IT consultancy Capgemini hired nearly 9,000 new consultants in the first quarter of 2011, the firm noted today in its Q1 financial report. Yes, folks, that's roughly 100 a day. That impressive stretch caps a year in which the company grew its employee ranks by 20 percent. Indeed, much of that hiring has occurred offshore in India, where the firm now has nearly 34,000 employees, but these Paris-based tech strategists have also been highly active in North America and Europe.

That activity is part of a robust growth program that includes expansion through acquisitions. It's a tactic that Capgemini has embraced enthusiastically in 2011. Last month, for instance, the firm made a double pick-up in the form of French pair Artesys and Avantias to the tune of €40 million. The firm said that each company represented sound investments in two "particularly dynamic markets" in the IT services industry: Infrastructure Transformation Service (ITS) and Business Information Management (BIM). Both seek to "help organizations manage huge volumes of disparate data stored across business applications." Today, Capgemini deepened its investment in the BIM segment when it announced its acquisition of Minneapolis-based BI Consulting Group for an undisclosed sum. Though a relatively small firm, BICG is a big fish in the BIM realm, its work having been recognized by Oracle consistently throughout its seven-year existence.

Capgemini's aggressive acquisition policy is indicative of its financial health, as evidenced by the 14.5 percent revenue increase the firm enjoyed in Q1 compared to the same quarter last year. Though slightly less robust, Capgemini's numbers in North America were equally healthy at 10.2 percent revenue growth. Worldwide, CEO Paul Hermelin predicts a 10 percent increase in revenue for fiscal year 2011.

And all that is good news for jobseekers. Capgemini now employs roughly 112,000 people; act quickly, and you could be 112,001.

For more information:
Capgemini Reports Strong Growth in First Quarter
Capgemini Makes 2 Acquisitions in France
Capgemini Acquires US-Based BI Consulting Group