The acquisition of the boutique Australian digital agency is part of a mission to extend the strategy and design expertise of IBM iX
IBM has acquired Australian boutique agency, Vivant Digital, as part of an extension to the strategy and design expertise of IBM iX.
With close to a decade of innovation consultancy experience, Vivant uses insights from behavioural science, data and technology to assist Australian startups and corporates, primarily in the financial services and distribution industries.
“Australian companies are looking to disrupt the market and seek out new business models, but need the assurance behind the creative thinking on digital projects," IBM managing partner for global business services A/NZ, Dee McGrath, said. "This acquisition blends industry expertise, technology and experience design, underpinned by business accountability. We believe IBM iX brings a unique offering for this market.”
CEO and founder of Vivant, Anthony Farah, will be appointed as IBM A/NZ digital strategy and iX Leader, and his team will join the IBM iX team to create consumer-grade experiences for Australian clients.
Together, IBM said iX and Vivant, based in Sydney and Melbourne, will address the growing need of clients seeking transformation though innovative digital business models and enhanced customer experiences.
“This is an exciting direction for Vivant clients and employees," Farah said. "We now have scale and greater opportunity to address the growing needs of CEOs and innovation leaders willing to disrupt the market by seeking out new business models. We see it as converging the best of big with the best of small."
This adds to a series of IBM acquisitions has made during 2016 as it rapidly expands its iX global capabilities.
“Customer experience is a critical element as our clients develop their business strategy,” IBM iX global leader, Paul Papas, said. “IBM shares a similar design, consulting and management philosophy with Vivant and our combined teams will raise the bar for experience-led, design driven, digital reinvention.”
The acquisition is expected to close in the final quarter of 2017 subject to applicable regulatory review and customary closing conditions. Financial details were not disclosed.
Follow CMO on Twitter: @CMOAustralia, take part in the CMO conversation on LinkedIn: CMO ANZ, join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMOAustralia, or check us out on Google+:google.com/+CmoAu
Our latest CMO 2022 readiness episode on the great resignation and staff motivation and leadership is now live!
Headlines of unacceptable waiting times to get onto Qantas will have many brand owners, chief executives and boards thinking, ‘thank goodness that is not us’. But Qantas isn’t the only company being inundated with calls with no reprieve in sight, it’s just dominating headlines right now.
As workers across the country slowly head back to the office, many of us might have forgotten how to deal with one another in person and the best way to persuade someone in a working environment.
The latest census data shows Australia has become a majority migrant nation for the first time. According to the new national data, more than 50 per cent of residents were born overseas or have a migrant parent.
What a great help! You can also use apps like Connecteam to establish great leadership. Not only that your management of employees would ...
Kimberly Wise
Why kindness is the make or break for modern leadership
As an ex employee of 4 years during the growth of the company, I can say that the new management has benefitted the company tremendously,...
Harry
How JobAdder's CMO is bringing the human truth to B2B rebranding
So many words, so little business benefit.
Brett Iredale
How JobAdder's CMO is bringing the human truth to B2B rebranding
This article highlights Gartner’s latest digital experience platforms report and how they are influencing content operations ecosystems. ...
vikram Roy
Gartner 2022 Digital Experience Platforms reveals leading vendor players
Ms Bennett joined in 2017 yet this article states she waited until late 2020 to initiate a project to update the website. The solution t...
Munstar Cook
How Super SA put customers at the heart of its digital transformation