MOQdigital buys IT consultancy Dienst Consulting for $3.8 million
Perth-based ICT advisory Dienst Consulting has been acquired by Australian systems integrator MOQdigital for $3.78 million, as the latter continues its expansion into the West.
After expanding into Western Australia late last year, ASX-listed systems integrator MOQdigital has purchased Perth-based IT consultancy Dienst for close to $3.8 million in cash and stock. The deal will see 30 professionals added to MOQdigital’s Foundational Services practice, including Managing Director Alan Hodson and Dienst’s key leadership team. The company brought in revenues of almost $8.5 million last financial year.
Founded by Hodson in 2012, Dienst – which takes its name from the Dutch word for ‘service’ – serves mid to large clients with mobility, cloud, and data solutions, and will bring scores of current customers to MOQdigital together with existing vendor partnerships. According to its website, Dienst has completed upwards of 640 projects for more than 430 clients, and in its 2020 financial year prior to Covid, the company grew by 37 percent.
“Dienst has built a 10-year legacy of service in the market,” said Hodson. “In joining forces, we see an exciting opportunity to further our capability and capacity to deliver world-class services and support to our current and future customers. Together with MOQdigital, we will continue to drive the acceleration of cloud adoption and digital transformation with end-to-end solutions from technology partners such as Citrix and Microsoft.”
In addition to boosting its local footprint and providing a further platform to extend its digital and cyber security services focus in the WA market, MOQdigital also cited Dienst’s Citrix Platinum Plus Solutions Advisor partnership as helping to strengthen MOQ’s Modern Workplace practice. The combined business will be overseen by Steve McNally, who was installed as State Manager on MOQ’s expansion into WA in November of last year.
“The acquisition of Perth-based Dienst builds on MOQ’s growth strategy and accelerates our entry into the Western Australian market.” said MOQ chief executive officer Joe D’Addio. “Alan Hodson and his team at Dienst have, over the last 10 years, built a successful business by providing high value specialist services to a range of enterprise customers and partnering with leading technology providers such as Microsoft and Citrix.”
Operating in a number of industries including Education, Health, Transport, Financial Services and Government, MOQdigital was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Brisbane, with further offices in addition to Perth in Sydney, Melbourne and Colombo, Sri Lanka. Since going public in 2015 the firm has grown its revenues to above $65 million, and despite taking a 4 percent Covid-related hit last year MOQ remains geared toward inorganic growth.
“Almost two years ago, MOQ embarked on the [$6.4 million] acquisition, transition, and integration of Wardy IT Solutions,” D’Addio said in a statement to the ASX. “This proved to be a very successful transaction that has positioned MOQ as a competitive provider in the digital transformation services market. MOQ will be taking a similar approach to the transition of Dienst’s staff, customers and partners into the MOQ business model.”
