Accenture Acquires Morphus, Brazil-Based Cybersecurity Company

Rhea-AI Summary

Accenture has announced the acquisition of Morphus, a Brazil-based cyber defense and threat intelligence services provider, enhancing its cybersecurity capabilities in Latin America. Morphus, founded in 2003, adds over 230 skilled professionals to Accenture's existing workforce, making it one of the largest cybersecurity providers in Brazil. The acquisition will aid in launching a Cyber Industry practice in the region and improve service offerings across various sectors including finance and technology. The financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, but it positions Accenture to better assist clients in securing their digital environments.

Positive

• Acquisition of Morphus expands Accenture's cybersecurity capabilities in Latin America.
• Incorporates over 230 professionals, enhancing talent pool and market position.
• Launches a new Cyber Industry practice specifically for Latin America.
• Strengthens service offerings in key sectors such as finance, energy, and media.

Negative

• None.

Morphus’s deep cybersecurity research expertise, cyber defense and threat intelligence services widen Accenture’s cybersecurity footprint in Latin America

FORTALEZA, Brazil & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Morphus, a privately held Brazil-based cyber defense, risk management and cyber threat intelligence services provider, expanding its practice capabilities in Brazil and Latin America. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Accenture has acquired Morphus, a privately held Brazil-based cyber defense, risk management and cyber threat intelligence services provider. (Photo: Business Wire)

Founded in 2003, Morphus is headquartered in Fortaleza, which is in the Ceará region in northeastern Brazil, with offices in Recife, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago, Chile. Morphus’s end-to-end portfolio includes red and blue team services; governance, risk and compliance services; enterprise risk management; cyber strategy; threat intelligence; and managed security services (MSS).

According to Accenture’s recent Cyber Threat Intelligence research, Brazil is one of the top victims of infostealer malware – a malicious software designed to steal victim information such as passwords.

“Together with the capabilities and experienced leadership of Morphus, we will work as one team to help organizations build a cyber resilient business and better secure their digital core, their technology and supply chains,” said Paolo Dal Cin, who leads Accenture Security globally. “The acquisition brings more than 230 highly skilled professionals, making Accenture one of the largest cybersecurity professional services providers in Brazil. Our clients are always looking for the best solutions to strengthen their cyber defenses, and the addition of Morphus expands our global research workforce and network of talented, innovative security professionals.”

The acquisition expands Accenture’s portfolio and marks the launch of a Cyber Industry practice in Latin America led by seasoned former CISOs from Morphus. The new offerings also expand Accenture’s position in Growth Markets in Morphus’s primary industry groups: communications media and technology, financial services, energy, retail and aviation.

Rawlison Brito, CEO of Morphus, said: “We believe that security and science go hand-in-hand. With Accenture, we can continue our cyber threat research and expand our advanced studies of cybersecurity by collaborating with security research experts on a global scale. We are excited to join Accenture to offer our thought leadership and better serve our clients by providing market-leading services and stronger cyber defense protection in Latin America.”

With a strong footprint in Brazil and Chile, the acquisition brings to Accenture Morphus Labs, a research facility in Fortaleza dedicated to cybersecurity studies, vulnerability and threat analysis and MSS. This will add a new Cyber Fusion Center in Fortaleza to Accenture’s existing global network, which includes Morphus’s cybersecurity R&D capabilities.

Andre Fleury, Accenture Security lead for Latin America, said: “The cybersecurity team at Morphus will accelerate the growth of our Cyber Industry practice in the region, nearly doubling our security footprint in Brazil. The acquisition complements our global Security practice and will enable us to help our clients embed security by design and enhance the offerings we provide across a wide variety of industries in Latin America.”

Last year, Accenture was recognized as a leader in strategic security services and MSS in Brazil by ISG.

Since 2015, Accenture Security has made 16 acquisitions. Following its January 2020 acquisition of Symantec’s Cyber Security Services business, Accenture became one of the leading global providers of MSS. Accenture further strengthened its cyber defense and MSS capabilities through the acquisition of Brazil-based Real Protect, and European cyber companies Sentor and Openminded in 2021.

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. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “goal,” “target” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation, risks that: the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; Accenture’s business depends on generating and maintaining client demand for the company’s services and solutions including through the adaptation and expansion of its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an inability to respond to the evolving technological environment could materially affect the company’s results of operations; if Accenture is unable to match people and their skills with client demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership skills, the company’s business, the utilization rate of the company’s professionals and the company’s results of operations may be materially adversely affected; Accenture faces legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; Accenture’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; Accenture’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments and disclosures may expose it to reputational risks and legal liability; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with key ecosystem partners or fails to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, the company’s results of operations could be adversely affected; Accenture’s profitability could materially suffer if the company is unable to obtain favorable pricing for its services and solutions, if the company is unable to remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies or fail to satisfy certain agreed-upon targets or specific service levels; changes in Accenture’s level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in their interpretation or enforcement, could have a material adverse effect on the company’s effective tax rate, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Accenture’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; changes to accounting standards or in the estimates and assumptions Accenture makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; as a result of Accenture’s geographically diverse operations and strategy to continue to grow in key markets around the world, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; Accenture might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; Accenture’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture’s global operations expose the company to numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory requirements; Accenture’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; if Accenture is unable to protect or enforce its intellectual property rights or if Accenture’s services or solutions infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others, its business could be adversely affected; Accenture may be subject to criticism and negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news 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.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent and innovation led company with 738,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Accenture Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients succeed and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Accenture Security is a leading provider of end-to-end cybersecurity services, including advanced cyber defense, applied cybersecurity solutions and managed security operations. We bring security innovation, coupled with global scale and a worldwide delivery capability through our network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Helped by our team of highly skilled professionals, we enable clients to innovate safely, build cyber resilience and grow with confidence. Follow us @AccentureSecure on Twitter, LinkedIn or visit us at accenture.com/security.

Copyright © 2023 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture and its logo are trademarks of Accenture. This content is provided for general information purposes and is not intended to be used in place of consultation with our professional advisors. This document refers to marks owned by third parties. All such third-party marks are the property of their respective owners. No sponsorship, endorsement or approval of this content by the owners of such marks is intended, expressed or implied.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230213005452/en/

Alison Geib

Accenture

+1 703 947 4404

alison.geib@accenture.com

Denise Berard

Accenture

+1 617 488 3611

denise.berard@accenture.com

Source: Accenture

FAQ

What is the purpose of Accenture's acquisition of Morphus?

The acquisition aims to enhance Accenture's cybersecurity capabilities and expand its presence in Latin America.

How many employees does Morphus bring to Accenture?

Morphus adds over 230 skilled professionals to Accenture's cybersecurity team.

What sectors will benefit from the acquisition of Morphus by Accenture?

The acquisition will strengthen offerings in sectors such as financial services, energy, retail, and technology.

When was Morphus founded?

Morphus was founded in 2003.

What are the financial terms of the acquisition between Accenture and Morphus?

The financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.