History of Accenture in Timeline

Accenture is a multinational professional services company specializing in IT services and management consulting. Founded in the United States in 1989 and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Accenture is a Fortune Global 500 company. Its revenue was $64.9 billion in 2024. Accenture provides a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations.

1989: Accenture Founded

In 1989, Accenture was founded in the United States as a multinational professional services company.

1989: Arthur Andersen and Andersen Consulting became separate units

In 1989, Arthur Andersen and Andersen Consulting became separate units of Andersen Worldwide Société Coopérative (AWSC).

1998: Dispute over transfer payments

In 1998, Andersen Consulting put the 15% transfer payment for that year and future years into escrow and issued a claim for breach of contract against AWSC and Arthur Andersen, escalating tensions between the entities.

2000: Arbitration Settlement

In 2000, as a result of arbitration, Andersen Consulting broke all contractual ties with AWSC and Arthur Andersen, and Andersen Consulting paid $1.2 billion to Arthur Andersen.

January 2001: Andersen Consulting Rebrands as Accenture

In January 2001, Andersen Consulting officially changed its name to "Accenture", a name derived from "Accent on the future" and submitted by Kim Petersen.

July 2001: Accenture Initial Public Offering

On July 19, 2001, Accenture's initial public offering (IPO) was priced at $14.50 per share, and the shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

2001: Accenture Goes Public

In 2001, Accenture went public, marking a significant milestone in the company's history.

June 16, 2002: Accenture Avoids Prosecution Due to Split from Andersen

On June 16, 2002, Accenture avoided prosecution by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) due to its split from Andersen, while Arthur Andersen was prosecuted for obstructing justice and accounting fraud in the Enron scandal.

October 2002: Accenture Identified as Tax Haven Corporation

In October 2002, the Congressional General Accounting Office (GAO) identified Accenture as one of four publicly traded federal contractors that were incorporated in a tax haven, leading to scrutiny from critics like Lou Dobbs.

2003: Accenture Engages in NHS IT Overhaul Project

In 2003, Accenture engaged in an IT overhaul project for the British National Health Service (NHS), aiming to modernize its technology infrastructure.

2006: Accenture Withdraws from NHS Contract

In 2006, Accenture withdrew from the IT overhaul project for the British National Health Service (NHS) due to disputes over delays and cost overruns.

May 2009: Accenture Announces Incorporation Change to Ireland

On May 26, 2009, Accenture announced that its board of directors had unanimously approved changing the company's place of incorporation from Bermuda to Ireland.

2009: Accenture Reincorporates in Ireland

In 2009, Accenture shifted its incorporation from Bermuda to Ireland, a move that has implications for its tax structure and international operations.

2013: Accenture Begins Acquisition Spree

Since 2013, Accenture has acquired over 200 companies, expanding its portfolio and market reach.

2015: Accenture's Growth Since 2015

Between 2015 and 2024, Accenture generated total returns (including dividends) of approximately 370%, more than the S&P 500 index itself, Goldman Sachs, etc.

2017: Strategic Partner of The Alan Turing Institute

Since 2017, Accenture has been a strategic partner of The Alan Turing Institute, collaborating on research and innovation initiatives.

June 2018: Accenture Contracted to Recruit U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers

In June 2018, Accenture was contracted to recruit 7,500 U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers under a $297 million contract, charging the US Government nearly $40,000 per hire.

December 2018: DHS Report Reveals Poor Performance on Accenture Recruitment Contract

In December 2018, a report by the DHS Office of Inspector General revealed that Accenture had only hired two agents despite being paid $13.6M through the first ten months of the contract, leading to a 'management alert'.

February 2019: Accenture Pays $200 Million to Swiss Authorities

In February 2019, Accenture paid $200 million to Swiss authorities over tax claims related to transfer pricing arrangements, resolving a financial dispute.

February 2019: Accenture Content Moderators Report Poor Working Conditions

In February 2019, contractors from Accenture's Austin, Texas, location who performed content moderation tasks for Facebook wrote an open letter to Facebook describing poor working conditions and a "Big Brother environment".

2019: Accenture Recruitment Contract Terminated

In 2019, the contract between Accenture and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to recruit officers was terminated due to poor performance.

August 2021: Accenture Confirms Data Breach After Ransomware Attack

In August 2021, Accenture confirmed a data breach resulting from a ransomware attack, leading to the theft of approximately six terabytes of data.

March 2023: Accenture Announces Job Cuts

In March 2023, Accenture announced plans to eliminate 19,000 jobs of the 738,000 employees over 18 months, citing reduced revenue forecasts.

2024: Accenture's Employee Count

As of 2024, Accenture reported having approximately 774,000 employees worldwide.

2024: Accenture's Growth Since 2015

Between 2015 and 2024, Accenture generated total returns (including dividends) of approximately 370%, more than the S&P 500 index itself, Goldman Sachs, etc.

2024: Reported Revenues of $64.9 Billion

In 2024, Accenture reported revenues of $64.9 billion, marking a significant financial milestone.

February 2025: Accenture Changes Diversity and Inclusion Policies

In February 2025, Accenture made significant changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, including the discontinuation of global employee representation goals and specific demographic-focused career development programs.

February 2025: Allegations of Missed Opportunities to Protect Children on Meta's WhatsApp Team

In February 2025, a former Accenture employee alleged to Vice News that he witnessed multiple missed opportunities to protect children while moderating content on the WhatsApp team for Meta.

June 2025: Accenture Announces New 'Reinvention Services' Business Unit

In June 2025, Accenture announced a change to their growth model, unifying four of its major services (Strategy, Consulting, Song, and Operations) under a new business unit to be named 'Reinvention Services', with each pillar receiving its own group chief executive. Industry X remains separate to the new Reinvention Services unit.