Automotive consultancy Katzion joins Hitachi-owned GlobalLogic
Sydney-based automotive sector consultancy and services provider Katzion has joined international digital design and engineering firm GlobalLogic, which is in turn owned by technology giant Hitachi.
Hitachi digital engineering subsidiary GlobalLogic has acquired Sydney-based automotive services provider Katzion for an undisclosed sum.
US-based GlobalLogic – itself purchased by Japanese-headquartered Hitachi for almost $10 billion in 2021 – will use the local bolt-on as a further stepping stone into the Australian and Asia Pacific markets, as well as to expand its offerings in emerging segments such as micro-mobility.
“This is an exciting time in the automotive industry, and we are thrilled to welcome the talented Katzion team to the GlobalLogic family,” stated president and CEO Nitesh Banga. “With their deep expertise and their wide-range of highly valuable services, the acquisition of Katzion will enhance our ability to better serve OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) as they bring new innovations inside, outside, and around the vehicle.”
Established in 2017 by CEO Augustine Alexander together with fellow co-founder and director Nikhil Thomas, Katzion has since grown from its Sydney roots to include a team of more than 165 employees spread across outlets in five countries The firm has a particular focus on solutions in CRM consulting, digitisation, automation and connected systems for automotive clients, with Salesforce and Mulesoft among its technology partners.
“Joining with GlobalLogic is the ideal next chapter in Katzion’s growth story,” stated Alexander, who managed to bag Volkswagen as the company’s first client despite initially setting up in a Sydney apartment. “GlobalLogic’s focus and ambition in the automotive sector are a great match, and the firm’s purpose-driven culture will be fantastic for our talented employees and clients alike. We are very excited about what we can achieve together.”
With a software and product development heritage dating back to the turn of the century, Silicon Valley-headquartered GlobalLogic today has a headcount in excess of 30,000 employees based in two dozen countries and an international network of 62 engineering delivery centres.
In turn, its parent Hitachi has a global workforce around the 350,000-mark, including the ~15,000 members of its merged consulting and data services arm Hitachi Vantara.
For GlobalLogic, which support clients in the financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, media and automotive sectors among others in developing new products and platforms through an integrated experience design, engineering and data offering, the addition of Katzion will provide for an expanded proposition to the automotive sector centered around consumer services as well as the chance to capitalise on peripheral segments such as fleets and rentals.
