Wipro will acquire Designit, a Danish firm that designs product-service experiences, in a deal worth about €85 million (about ₹595 crore).
Rajan Kohli, Senior Vice-President and Global Head, Wipro Digital, said Designit offers an opportunity to bring together capabilities that include scale and global reach, Scandinavian heritage and award-winning client work.
Founded in 1991 in Aarhus, Denmark, Designit has become one of the world’s largest, privately-held design firms that employs around 300 people in nine offices globally, and services companies in healthcare, telecom, banking, automotive, and retail sectors.
For Wipro, and India’s IT industry, areas such as digital are fast emerging the key differentiator in bagging outsourcing deals as the world quickly adopts mobility and social technologies. Keeping this in mind, Wipro recently carved out its digital practice with plans to clock $1 billion over the next three years. Digital services come under Business Application Services, which contributes 29 per cent to the company’s revenues, its largest business unit.
According to Sarabjit Kour Nangra, VP Research - IT, Angel Broking, the acquisition is in line with the company’s strategy to use inorganic initiatives to fund the growth.
Wipro Digital works closely with Wipro Ventures, the ₹600-crore fund headed by Rishad Premji, which looks to invest or partner with disruptive start-ups. Also, Wipro has invested $5 million in Drivestream, a US-based start-up that integrates Oracle technology solutions for companies.