AHEAD, an MSP and IT solutions provider that delivers enterprise cloud solutions, has acquired Platform Consulting Group. AHEAD's professional services organization gains cloud-native application expertise, the companies say.
This is M&A Deal Number 13 that ChannelE2E has covered in 2020. See the complete M&A deal list here.
Platform Consulting Group, based in Denver, Colorado, has deep expertise in the Pivotal multi-cloud application platform, now owned by VMware. Platform President Chris Birtwhistle will lead AHEAD’s Cloud Applications and Platforms practice.
AHEAD, backed by private equity firm Court Square Capital Partners since 2015, has been in rapid expansion mode. The IT solutions provider merged with Data Blue and Sovereign Systems in October 2019. The combined businesses at the time had about $1.3 billion in combined revenues.
AHEAD Acquires Platform Consulting Group: Executive Perspectives
In a prepared statement about the latest acquisition, AHEAD CTO Eric Kaplan said:
“Platform’s expertise in software development will accelerate our ability to deliver transformational outcomes through application modernization and migration. We’re excited to welcome Platform to the AHEAD family.”
Added Birtwhistle:
“We’re thrilled to join AHEAD and offer our clients a full range of support up and down the technology stack. Applications are the essential element of today’s CIO agenda and connecting Platform’s strengths in cloud native development with AHEAD’s exceptional track record in transforming infrastructure, will instantly create an industry leader with true end-to-end capabilities.”
IT Solutions Providers: Acquiring Software Development Expertise
Although many MSPs and IT consulting firms aggressively pursue recurring revenue opportunities, it's clear that software development services are also a hot ticket for IT solutions providers.
Example deals involving application development expertise include:
- November 2019: Alliance Technologies acquired Tuva Interactive, uniting an MSP with a Web application development specialist.
- August 2018: Global systems integrator Insight Enterprises acquired Cardinal Solutions — a Microsoft partner that has an application development team focused on mobile, web, analytics and cloud services.
- June 2017: Accenture acquired Intrepid, a mobile application development expert.
Meanwhile, AHEAD CEO Daniel Adamany shared his overall business strategy in a ChannelE2E interview from October 2019.
