Accenture vs Capgemini: Founders, CEOs and History
Accenture was founded in 1989 by Arthur Andersen Consulting Partners, George Shaheen and is led by Julie Sweet. Capgemini was founded in 1967 by Serge Kampf and is led by Aiman Ezzat.
Company facts
Founders
Accenture
Arthur Andersen Consulting Partners
Accenture has no single founder. It began in the early 1950s as the business and technology consulting practice of Arthur Andersen, the accounting firm founded in 1913.
George Shaheen
George Shaheen led Andersen Consulting from 1989 until September 1999. By the time he left, the consulting unit had about 65,000 staff. In 1997 it began the ICC arbitration to separate from Arthur Andersen.
Capgemini
Serge Kampf
Serge Kampf founded Sogeti in Grenoble on October 1, 1967. He built it into Europe's largest IT services group through the 1970s takeovers of CAP and Gemini Computer Systems, listed it in Paris in 1985 and led the 2000 Ernst & Young Consulting deal.
CEOs and their tenures
Accenture
- George Shaheen1989–1999
Managing Partner and CEO, Andersen Consulting
Led Andersen Consulting from its 1989 formation as a separate unit of Andersen Worldwide until September 1999, a period in which the consulting unit grew to about 65,000 employees and began the 1997 ICC arbitration to leave Arthur Andersen.
Source - Joe Forehand1999–2004
CEO
Succeeded Shaheen in November 1999 as global managing partner and CEO. Led the firm through the August 2000 arbitration ruling, the January 1, 2001 rename to Accenture and the July 19, 2001 NYSE IPO at $14.50 per share.
Source - William D. Green2004–2011
CEO
CEO from Sept 1, 2004 to January 2011, after serving as chief operating officer for client services. Revenue was $23.09B in FY2010, his last full fiscal year as CEO.
Source - Pierre Nanterme2011–2019
CEO
CEO from January 2011 and also chairman from February 2013. Revenue grew from $27.35B in FY2011 to $41.60B in FY2018 as originally reported.
Source - David Rowland2019–2019
Interim CEO
Chief financial officer who served as interim CEO from Jan 10, 2019 after Nanterme stepped down, until Julie Sweet took over on Sept 1, 2019.
Source - Julie Sweet2019–present
Chair and CEO
CEO since Sept 1, 2019 and chair since Sept 1, 2021; previously CEO of Accenture North America and, before that, general counsel. Revenue rose from $44.33B in FY2020 to $69.67B in FY2025, and headcount reached about 799,000 by May 31, 2026.
Source
Capgemini
- Nive Bhagat
Chief Financial Officer
Group CFO presenting Capgemini's 2025 and 2026 results.
Source - Paul Hermelin2002–present
Chairman of the Board (CEO 2002-2020)
Led Capgemini as CEO for 18 years, expanding offshore delivery in India and agreeing the Altran deal; chairman since 2020.
Source - Aiman Ezzat2020–present
Chief Executive Officer
Former CFO (2012-2018) and COO (2018-2020) who completed the Altran integration, led the $3.3B WNS acquisition and set the 2028 agentic AI strategy.
Source
Timeline: Accenture and Capgemini side by side
1953Accenture
Arthur Andersen GE feasibility study
Arthur Andersen's administrative services group, led by Joseph Glickauf, carries out a study for General Electric on computerizing payroll at Appliance Park in Louisville, Kentucky.
1967Capgemini
Sogeti Founded in Grenoble
Serge Kampf established Sogeti to pioneer European enterprise data processing.
1975Capgemini
Creation of Cap Gemini Sogeti
Merged with CAP and Gemini Computer Systems to create Europe's IT services leader.
1985Capgemini
IPO on Paris Bourse (Euronext: CAP)
Listed publicly in Paris, expanding into an international enterprise leader.
1989Accenture
Andersen Consulting formed
Arthur Andersen and Andersen Consulting become separate units of Andersen Worldwide Societe Cooperative, with George Shaheen as managing partner and CEO of the consulting unit. The more profitable unit pays the other up to 15% of profits.
1997Accenture
Arbitration with Arthur Andersen begins
Andersen Consulting files an arbitration claim with the International Chamber of Commerce, arguing that Arthur Andersen broke their agreement by building its own competing consulting practice.
2000Accenture
Arbitration ruling and Avanade
In April 2000 Andersen Consulting and Microsoft form Avanade, a joint venture now majority owned by Accenture.
2000Capgemini
Acquisition of Ernst & Young Consulting (~$11B)
Executed landmark mega-acquisition to capture the North American consulting market.
2001Accenture
Rename to Accenture and NYSE IPO
Andersen Consulting becomes Accenture on Jan 1, 2001, a name based on "Accent on the future" suggested by an employee in Oslo. The Bermuda-incorporated company prices its IPO at $14.50 per share and starts trading on the NYSE on July 19, 2001.
2004Accenture
William D. Green becomes CEO
William D. Green succeeds Joe Forehand as CEO on Sept 1, 2004; Forehand remains chairman.
2009Accenture
Reincorporation in Ireland
On May 26, 2009 the board approves moving the company's place of incorporation from Bermuda to Ireland, which remains its legal domicile.
2011Accenture
Pierre Nanterme becomes CEO
Pierre Nanterme becomes CEO in January 2011. The same year Accenture completes its purchase of insurance software company Duck Creek Technologies.
2013Accenture
Fjord acquisition
Accenture agrees in May 2013 to acquire Fjord, a service design consultancy, adding design capacity to Accenture Interactive.
2015Capgemini
Acquisition of iGate ($4.0B)
Deepened Indian offshore delivery footprint, adding tens of thousands of engineers.
2016Accenture
Duck Creek stake sold to Apax
Funds advised by Apax Partners buy a 60% stake in Duck Creek Technologies from Accenture, which keeps 40%.
2019Accenture
CEO transition and Droga5
Nanterme steps down for health reasons on Jan 11, 2019 and CFO David Rowland becomes interim CEO. Accenture Interactive completes the purchase of creative agency Droga5, and Julie Sweet becomes CEO on Sept 1, 2019.
2020Capgemini
Acquisition of Altran Technologies (~$4.07B (€3.6B) equity value)
Created the global leader in Intelligent Industry and engineering R&D.
2022Accenture
Accenture Song
On April 26, 2022 Accenture Interactive begins going to market as Accenture Song. FY2022 revenue rises 22% to $61.59B.
2023Accenture
$3B Data & AI investment
In June 2023 Accenture announces a $3B investment over three years in its Data & AI practice and a plan to double AI talent to 80,000 people.
2024Accenture
Udacity acquisition
Accenture completes its purchase of online education company Udacity on May 20, 2024 to support its Accenture LearnVantage training business.
2025Accenture
FY2025 results and restructuring
FY2025 revenue reaches $69.67B with $80.62B in new bookings. In September 2025 Accenture outlines a six-month, $865M business optimization program, mainly severance, and moves to a single Reinvention Services unit.
2025Capgemini
WNS Acquisition Completed
Bought WNS for $3.3 billion in cash, creating a larger intelligent operations business.
2026Accenture
Faculty and Ookla deals
Accenture completes the acquisition of UK AI company Faculty on March 16, 2026 and agrees in March 2026 to buy Ziff Davis's connectivity division (Ookla, Speedtest, Downdetector) for $1.2B in cash. Q3 FY2026 revenue is $18.72B.
2026Capgemini
H1 2026 Revenue ~$13.7B (€12.08B), Outlook Raised
First-half revenue grew 8.8%; 2026 constant-currency growth target lifted to 8.5%-9.0%.
Acquisitions
Accenture
- Faculty2026Undisclosed
- Ookla (Ziff Davis Connectivity division)2026$1.2B
- Udacity2024Undisclosed
- umlaut2021Undisclosed
- Droga52019Undisclosed
- Fjord2013Undisclosed
Capgemini
- WNS2025$3.3B
- Altran Technologies2020$3.6B
- iGate Corporation2015$4B
- Ernst & Young Consulting2000$11B
Questions about Accenture vs Capgemini
Who is the CEO of Accenture PLC and Capgemini?
Accenture PLC is led by Julie Sweet and Capgemini is led by Aiman Ezzat. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Accenture PLC founded vs Capgemini?
Capgemini was founded in 1967 — 22 years before Accenture PLC, which was founded in 1989. Capgemini's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Accenture PLC.
How many employees does Accenture PLC have compared to Capgemini?
Accenture PLC employs approximately 799,000 people, while Capgemini employs approximately 417,600. Accenture PLC has the larger workforce at 799,000 employees, compared to Capgemini's 417,600. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Accenture PLC and Capgemini headquartered?
Accenture PLC is headquartered in Ireland and Capgemini is headquartered in France. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Accenture PLC and Capgemini?
Accenture PLC was founded by Arthur Andersen Consulting Partners, George Shaheen. Capgemini was founded by Serge Kampf.
Which company has a longer operating history — Accenture PLC or Capgemini?
Capgemini has been operating for approximately 59 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Accenture PLC has been in operation for around 37 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Accenture vs Capgemini overview