Canadian technology consultancy CGI buys UK counterpart BJSS

29 January 2025 Consultancy.com.au

Active in Australia since 2020, UK technology consultancy BJSS has been bought by fellow global player CGI, with the Montreal-based firm also making moves down under in recent years. 

In announcing the acquisition, which is expected to close next month, CGI declared its intent to strengthen its UK market presence in a number of key sectors, with BJSS having a headcount of more than 2,400 spread across the region.

However, the media release didn’t explicitly make it clear if the technology & engineering consultancy’s overseas operations – including those in Australia, which has recently been boosting its senior ranks – would also form part of the deal.

“This acquisition will accelerate our UK-wide expansion as BJSS is known for its innovative IT solutions, software engineering expertise, and delivery excellence,” CGI stated. “With over 2,400 highly skilled consultants and professionals joining us, we are set to enhance our operations in key sectors such as retail, health, government, financial services, and energy & utilities.”

Established in Leeds in 1993 by IT entrepreneurs Mark Hunter and Andrew Vincent, BJSS has over its three-decade history spread to the US and Europe, with offices in New York and Lisbon among other international outlets, before then expanding to the Asia Pacific in late 2020 via an office launch in Melbourne and ambitious plans to rapidly assemble a 150-strong local team.

In terms of that latter endeavour, BJSS would be competing directly on the local recruitment front with CGI, which in 2021 doubled its own Australian headcount to 300-plus professionals through the acquisition of Melbourne-headquartered technology consultancy Unico, before then setting up a space, defence & intelligence hub in Adelaide with the aim of creating a further 200 skilled jobs.

More broadly, CGI stated its intent at the time to double the size of its global operations within the next five-to-seven years to 2028 through both organic growth and acquisitions, and hasn’t been shy in taking the latter approach. The firm’s global headcount is now pushing towards the 100,000-mark across more than 30 countries generating collective annual revenues closing in on $15 billion.

Perhaps one clue as to whether BJSS’s local operations are included in CGI’s latest acquisition came from Tara McGeehan, president of the firm’s UK & Australia operations: “By joining forces, we will strengthen our ability to help clients across the private and public sectors achieve measurable outcomes, such as in driving efficiencies, improving CX, and generating growth.”

Meanwhile, Glynn Robinson, BJSS chairman, added: “Joining CGI represents an exciting new chapter for BJSS. Both our firms share a commitment to sustainability, employee engagement and long-term client relationships. Together, we can leverage our complementary strengths to deliver even greater value for our clients while creating new opportunities for our talented team.”