VAR500 Moves: Logicalis Expands, New Accenture CEO Steps In

VAR500 Roundup: Into the Cloud, Changing Of The Guard And More

The new year started off with a bang as top VAR500 solution providers expanded into growing markets such as cloud services, network consulting and providing IT for the U.S. Defense Intelligence department. Accenture began 2011 with a new CEO, while other VARs inked huge deals.

Logicalis Expands Network Consulting

Logicalis Group acquired Network Infrastructure Corp., a Phoenix-based Cisco Gold Partner. NIC provides network consulting and IT services to the K-12 education, state and local government, gaming and hospitality markets across the Southwest.

"This acquisition is a great opportunity to consolidate our presence in the Southwest states and broaden our skills and expertise in the networking and services space for that region," said Logicalis CEO Ian Cook. "NIC brings a very impressive services model and in-depth industry knowledge that we can now deliver on a national level."

SHI Ups Ante In Cloud Services

SHI International is investing $20 million in a new data center in a bid to become a major player in the cloud services market.

The Piscataway, N.J.-based solution provider, one of Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard's top partners, is scheduled to open a $20 million cloud services data center in Somerset, N.J., that will be fully operational next July, said Henry Fastert, chief technologist and managing partner at SHI.

"We believe cloud services are a new important requirement for our customers," he said.

SHI plans to begin providing proof-of-concept cloud services at the facility beginning in March. The facility also will double as SHI's corporate headquarters, said Fastert.

Accenture's New CEO Takes Helm

Pierre Nanterme assumed the role of CEO of Accenture on Jan. 1. He succeeds William D. Green, who had been CEO since September 2004.

"We have great momentum in our business and our focus is on accelerating the execution of our growth agenda to make sure we are capturing the opportunities we see in the marketplace," said Nanterme. Green will continue as chairman of the board of directors. Nanterme, 51, most recently served as group CEO of Accenture’s global Financial Services operating group, a position he has held since 2007. During his 28 years with Accenture, he has held a variety of leadership positions across many dimensions of the company’s business.

CSC Buys CenTauri

CSC acquired Alexandria, Va.-based CenTauri Solutions, which provides IT systems and services, systems engineering and intelligence analysis, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance solutions that serve the national security and intelligence communities. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The deal lets CSC deliver IT services and solutions as a prime contractor through the Defense Intelligence Agency’s $6.6 billion Solutions for Information Technology Enterprises indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.

"With the addition of CenTauri Solutions, CSC strengthens our capabilities in providing IT services and systems integration solutions that deliver value to the Defense Intelligence Agency and C4ISR customers," said James W. Sheaffer, president of CSC’s North American Public Sector line of business.

HP, Oil Giant Ink Deal

HP Enterprise Services UK Limited signed a five-year outsourcing services agreement with BP International Limited valued at more than $400 million. HP will deliver consistent global data center services that enable BP to standardize and consolidate its hosting services and take advantage of technology such as cloud computing.

HP currently provides HP Data Center Services to BP’s European data centers in the United Kingdom. The new agreement brings the remaining BP data centers in Europe and all those in the Americas regions under a single contract that covers data center management services from monitoring, backup and recovery, site management and maintenance services to database and middleware management.

Capgemini Revs Up Business With GM

A number of Capgemini's contracts with General Motors organizations were renewed.

Capgemini will continue to serve as the automaker’s application integration management supplier for several process areas. The combined value of the five-year agreement is more than $100 million and is an extension of Capgemini’s ongoing work in support of General Motors' Next-Generation Systems Factory Operating Model. The contracts are in addition to the renewal of two other General Motors contracts earlier this year.

"This win is a testament to our collaborative relationship with GM, our success over the past four years in support of their IT initiatives, and the trust they’ve placed in Capgemini as a strategic partner," said Marc Martinez, General Motors global account executive, Capgemini.

Sapient Scores IT Contract With CDC

Sapient Government Services, a division of Sapient, was awarded an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity prime contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a result, Sapient will compete for task orders with other contract awardees to perform a variety of management consulting services for the CDC. The contract has a potential value of up to $1 billion across all 16 contract awardees.

"[We] look forward to assisting the CDC in its mission to create the expertise, information and tools that people and communities need to protect their health," said Alan Herrick, Sapient president and CEO.