Accenture Signs Agreement to Acquire SOPIA, Japanese Company Specializing in Integrating Oracle Solutions

TOKYO; April 2008 -- Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has signed an agreement to acquire SOPIA Corporation, a privately-held consulting and IT solutions company, specializing in Oracle systems integration, based in Tokyo. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition will extend Accenture’s Oracle capabilities in Japan, where Accenture is seeing increasing demand for ERP services. With a customer base that focuses on manufacturing, distribution, and logistics, SOPIA is recognized for its Oracle skills and expertise in supply chain management (SCM).

“This acquisition will enable Accenture to expand its systems integration capabilities in Japan,” said Karl-Heinz Floether, Group Chief Executive of Systems Integration, Technology & Delivery at Accenture. “Japanese clients will benefit from Accenture’s business and industry consulting capabilities, industrialized delivery methodologies, and global reach, and SOPIA’s skills across the entire Oracle suite, and supply chain management software packages.”

SOPIA, which was founded in 1984 and has become a well known provider of Oracle solutions in Japan, will become part of the Accenture Systems Integration & Technology organization in Japan. SOPIA will continue to serve their clients in the Japanese market.

The company has capabilities in Oracle E-Business suite, Oracle JD Edwards, and Infor WM4000 and Infor WM9.0 (a supply chain management system), with a diversified portfolio of clients across a number of the industries that Accenture serves. SOPIA is a strategic Oracle partner in Japan and has received several awards from Oracle in recognition of its systems integration skills.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close within 30 days.
Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These include, without limitation, risks that: Accenture and SOPIA will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties’ ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; our business could be negatively affected if we cannot expand and develop our services and solutions in response to changes in technology and client demand; the management consulting, systems integration and technology and outsourcing markets are highly competitive and we might not be able to compete effectively; our business could be negatively affected by economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on our clients’ business and levels of business activity; our work with government clients exposes us to additional risks in the government contracting process; clients may not be satisfied with our services; our business could be negatively affected by legal liability that results from our providing solutions or services; our results could be adversely affected if our clients terminate their contracts with us on short notice; our outsourcing services subject us to operational and financial risk; liabilities could arise if our subcontractors or other third parties cannot deliver their project contributions on time or at all; our results of operations may be adversely affected by the type and level of technology spending by our clients; our profitability may suffer if we are not able to maintain favorable pricing rates and utilization rates, if we cannot control our costs, or if we cannot anticipate the cost and complexity of performing our work; our global operations are subject to complex risks, some of which might be beyond our control; our growth and our ability to compete may be adversely affected if we cannot attract, retain and motivate our employees or efficiently utilize their skills, including those personnel currently employed by SOPIA; our business may be adversely affected if we cannot manage the organizational challenges associated with the size and expansion of our company; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations.