Capgemini Engineering

Capgemini Engineering

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Consulting, Engineering
Predecessor	Altran Technologies, SA
Founded	1982 (1982) in France
Founder	Alexis Kniazeff, Hubert Martigny
Headquarters	Neuilly-sur-Seine , France
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Dominique Cerutti (former CEO of Altran)
Products	Consulting services in innovation and engineering, R&D services
Number of employees	46,693+ (2018)
Parent	Capgemini

Capgemini Engineering—previously known as Altran Technologies, SA—is an international consulting firm specializing in innovation and engineering. It was established in 1982 in France by Alexis Kniazeff and Hubert Martigny.

Altran primarily focused on sectors involving advanced technology and innovation, which represented close to 75% of its revenue. Consulting services related to administration and information systems made up 20%, while strategy and management advisory constituted the remaining portion. The company’s expertise spanned multiple engineering fields, with a particular emphasis on electronics and information technology.

In 2018, Altran generated revenues of €2.916 billion and had a global workforce exceeding 46,693 employees. Following its acquisition by Capgemini in 2019, it was rebranded as "Capgemini Engineering" on 8 April 2021 after integrating with Capgemini’s Engineering and R&D divisions.

1980s

The firm was founded in 1982 under the name CGS Informatique by former KPMG consultants Alexis Kniazeff and Hubert Martigny. By 1985, the team had grown to include 50 engineers.

Altran expanded via semi-autonomous business units ranging from 10 to 200 staff members. These units managed their own growth strategies and investment decisions while receiving support from central management. Compensation for unit leaders was linked directly to their performance outcomes.

A significant early achievement was the development of the onboard communication network for France’s high-speed TGV trains in 1987, facilitating connectivity with other European rail systems.

The company went public on the Secondary Market of the Paris Stock Exchange in 1987. By 1989, revenues neared €48 million, coinciding with the acquisition of Ségur Informatique, a specialist in aeronautics simulation and modeling. Employee numbers reached approximately 1,000 by 1990, with expanded capabilities across transportation, telecommunications, and energy sectors—maintaining a strong focus on IT.

1990s

During the early 1990s, Altran adopted a new operational model resembling a temporary staffing agency for the high-tech industry. Employees were assigned directly to client projects to deliver specialized skills. By the decade’s close, Altran was the leading technology consulting firm in France with over 50 subsidiaries. The European economic downturn encouraged companies to outsource R&D functions, which spurred Altran’s growth through acquisitions such as GERPI in 1992. That year, revenues reached €76.5 million.

After the removal of European Community border restrictions in 1992, Altran initially formed partnerships abroad but soon shifted to a strategy of acquiring firms to establish direct international presence. In the Benelux region, it acquired a Belgian company in 1992 and expanded to encompass twelve firms and roughly 1,000 consultants by the end of the decade. Acquired companies typically maintained their existing management teams and brand names, with financial arrangements tied to performance metrics.

In the same year, Altran Conseil was founded to address sectors including automotive equipment, nuclear energy, and consumer electronics.

The company's entry into Spain occurred in 1993 through acquiring SDB España. Subsequent acquisitions led to a network of nine companies employing over 2,000 consultants—positioning Spain among its largest markets.

By 1995, sales exceeded €155 million with nearly 2,400 employees predominantly composed of engineers. To address managerial skill gaps among technical staff, Altran introduced the IMA (Institut pour le management Altran) program training approximately 200 candidates annually.

Expansion into the UK market involved acquiring High Integrity Systems and DCE Consultants in 1995, followed by Praxis Critical Systems in 1997. New subsidiaries such as Altran Technologies UK supported these initiatives.

Throughout the late 1990s, Altran averaged around fifteen acquisitions per year. Italy became a strategic focus starting in 1996 with multiple purchases including EKAR and RSI Sistemi by 1998; new offices opened in Turin by 1999.

Germany was targeted beginning in 1997 with creation of Altran Technologies GmbH and acquisition of Europspace Technische Entwicklungen. Additional acquisitions like Berata (1998) and Askon Consulting (1999) expanded German operations significantly.

Altran also entered Portugal and Luxembourg markets in 1998 and Austria in 1999; notably deploying a telecommunications network within Portugal that year. By the end of the decade, revenues reached €614 million with international sales representing over one-third of total income.

In Switzerland, expansion began with purchasing D1B2 in 1997 followed by acquisitions such as Net@rchitects and Innovatica by 1999.

Key projects during this period included developing the Météor autopilot system for Paris Metro Line 14 and designing the attitude control system for ESA’s Ariane 5 launch vehicle.

Early 21st century

At the start of the millennium, Altran broadened its footprint in Italy by establishing 10 subsidiaries, including new offices in Lombardy and Lazio, and acquiring CEDATI. Its Swiss operations expanded with the addition of two subsidiaries, Infolearn and De Simone & Osswald, while in Germany, the acquisition of I&K Beratung strengthened its position. The United States emerged as a significant growth market following the purchase of a company that was rebranded as Altran Corporation.

Altran also initiated its expansion into South America, concentrating particularly on Brazil. By 2001, the company’s revenue surpassed €1.2 billion, supported by a workforce exceeding 15,000 consultants.

During the early 2000s, Altran pursued public relations efforts through collaborations with high-profile projects such as the Renault F1 racing team and the Solar Impulse initiative, which aimed to achieve a solar-powered round-the-world flight.

In 2002, Askon Beratung became an independent entity within Altran, while the acquisition of Sigma enhanced its Swiss network. A significant step into the U.S. market occurred with Altran’s backing of a $56 million management buyout for Arthur D. Little’s operations across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, alongside securing its brand and trademark—positioning Altran for accelerated growth. By 2003, sales had reached €2 billion, and by 2005 the workforce included over 40,000 engineers.

Altran entered the Asian market in 2004 and introduced Altran Prime to focus on large-scale innovation initiatives.

On 29 December 2006, all subsidiaries in Ile de France were consolidated into Altran Technologies SA, which was structured into four distinct business units:

• Altran TEM: Telecommunications, Electronics and Multimedia
• Altran AIT: Automobiles, Infrastructure and Transportation
• Altran Eilis: Energy, Industry and Life Science
• Altran ASD: Aeronautics, Space and Defence

In 2009, the company launched a Research program dedicated to advancing design tools, developing proof-of-concepts, and optimizing organizational methodologies.

By 2012, PSA Peugeot Citroën designated Altran as a strategic partner within its Performance Plan. Early in 2013, Altran further strengthened its German presence by acquiring IndustrieHansa, elevating it to one of the top five technical consultancy firms in the country.

Continuing its acquisition-driven growth strategy, Altran purchased Dutch R&D firm Nspyre in February 2015 and Indian semiconductor specialist SiConTech in July of the same year.

In 2015, revenues approached €1.945 billion with a workforce exceeding 25,000 employees spread across more than 20 nations.

In November 2015, CEO Dominique Cerutti introduced the "Altran 2020. Ignition." strategic roadmap aiming to achieve €3 billion in revenue along with improved profitability within five years.

December 2015 saw the acquisition of Tessella to bolster capabilities in analytics and data science.

Throughout 2016, Altran accelerated its U.S. expansion by acquiring Synapse (focused on innovative product development) and Lohika (specializing in software engineering), both integral to its transatlantic growth under the Ignition 2020 plan.

Additional acquisitions in October 2016 included Swell (Czech Republic) and Benteler Engineering (Germany), enhancing automotive engineering services. Cerutti also established strategic alliances with Divergent (a pioneer in automotive 3D printing) and Chinese digital mapping firm eMapgo.

On 22 December 2016, Altran acquired Pricol Technologies in India to further strengthen its engineering service offerings.

Mid-2017 acquisitions included Information Risk Management (cybersecurity) and GlobalEdge (Indian software engineering firm with U.S. operations), expanding both security expertise and global market reach.

November 2017 marked a pivotal moment with the $2 billion acquisition of Aricent—a global leader in digital design and engineering headquartered in Santa Clara, California. This transaction concluded the "Altran 2020. Ignition" plan ahead of schedule and positioned Altran as a worldwide leader in engineering and R&D services. Combined revenues approached €3 billion by March 2018.

On 28 June 2018, Altran unveiled "The High Road, Altran 2022" strategy targeting €4 billion in revenue along with a margin of 14.5%, leveraging emerging technological innovations.

Acquisition by Capgemini

On 1 April 2020, Capgemini successfully finalized its amicable acquisition of Altran, surpassing the 90% threshold required for a squeeze-out. As a result, Altran was removed from stock exchanges on 15 April 2020.

Structure and Operations

Altran oversees the entire project lifecycle, encompassing initial phases such as technological surveillance, feasibility analysis, and strategic planning, through to the execution stages including design, development, and testing.

Global Footprint

With its headquarters located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, Altran maintains operations across numerous countries including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Spain, Ukraine, Italy, India, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Tunisia, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, the Middle East region, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Revenue distribution is as follows: France accounts for 43.3%, other European countries excluding France represent 51.6%, and the remaining 5.1% comes from other global markets.

Altran Research Division

Under the leadership of Fabrice Mariaud, Altran Research serves as the company's dedicated R&D unit based in France. This division partners with Altran Lab, various academic organizations, and industry collaborators to drive innovation projects spanning sectors such as e-healthcare, aerospace engineering, energy solutions, complex system management, transportation and mobility services, industrial applications, and emerging future services.

Altran Lab

Founded in 2004, Altran Lab incorporates an incubator program alongside an innovation center and Altran Pr[i]me initiative. Its primary focus is on managing innovation processes and nurturing emerging technologies.

Altran Foundation for Innovation

The Altran Foundation for Innovation hosts an annual global scientific competition targeting major societal issues. Winners benefit from a year-long technological mentorship provided by Altran’s consulting teams to support project advancement and ongoing development.

Voluntary Contributions

Altran France actively participates in pro bono projects aimed at promoting culture, civic responsibility, and innovation. The company lends its expertise in digital strategy and cultural heritage management to renowned institutions such as the Musée des Arts et Métiers, the Quai Branly Museum, and the Arab World Institute.

Financial Overview

Altran has been publicly traded on the Paris stock exchange (Euronext) since 20 October 1987. Key financial details include:

• Inclusion in the CAC All Shares index
• ISIN Code: FR0000034639
• Number of outstanding shares (as of 30 October 2015): 175,536,188
• Market capitalization (as of 10 April 2019): €2.5 billion
• Principal shareholders (as of 10 April 2019):
  • Altrafin Participations holding 8.4%
  • Alexis Kniazeff with 1.4%
  • Hubert Martigny owning 1.4%

Financial data table

Financial Data (in millions of euros)

Year	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Revenue	1418	1435	1495.6	1591.4	1650.1	1403.7	1436.6	1419.5	1455.9	1633	1756.3	1945.1	2120.1	2282.2	2916
EBIT	59.2	93.2	76	99.4	127	31	69.1	113.1	124.9	143	164.6	185.9	219.7	246.3	-
Net income	16.9	0.2	3.8	21.6	11.4
64.9	65.8	82.5	100.7	122.5	139.7	165
Equity	319.7	347.5	382.9	397.5	503.7	459.4	446.7	406.5	469.6	653.9	710.9	794.4	862.3	891	1692
Debt	379.4	336.9	379.9	359.5	208.3
203.4	194.9	168.5	30.3	42.4	144	210	351	1312

See also

• List of IT consulting firms
• Frog Design Inc.
• Tessella
• Cambridge Consultants