IBM Consulting
| File:IBM Consulting wordmark.svg | |
| Company type | Division of IBM |
|---|---|
| Industry | Information technology consulting Outsourcing |
| Founded | June 16, 1991 |
| Headquarters | Armonk, New York, U.S. |
Key people | Arvind Krishna, Mark Foster, Chairman John Granger, Senior VP Kelly Chambliss, SVP & COO |
| Parent | IBM (1991–present) |
| Website | ibm |
IBM Consulting, previously known as IBM Global Business Services until its rebranding in 2021, represents the consulting and professional services arm of IBM. Its clientele includes corporations, governmental bodies worldwide, as well as non-profit organizations and NGOs.
With a global workforce nearing 160,000 employees, the division specializes in strategy and management consulting, experience design, technology implementation including systems integration, and operational services.
History
The foundation of IBM’s IT services can be traced back to the mid-1970s through its Data Processing Support Services (DPSS) unit, which emerged due to regulatory requirements mandating separation of support functions from hardware sales. The popularity of early teleprocessing and database software such as CICS and IMS fueled demand for IBM’s consulting expertise.
In 1989, IBM collaborated with Eastman Kodak to develop and operate an advanced data center under the Integrated Systems Solution Corporation (ISSC) initiative. That same year, IBM introduced Business Recovery Services aimed at ensuring business continuity during system failures or disasters.
By 1992, IBM formed the IBM Consulting Group with a focus on Business Transformation and IT Strategy Consulting under the leadership of Robert M. Howe. This group underwent several rebrandings—first becoming IBM Business Innovation Services in 2001, then IBM Business Consulting Services—as consulting activities increasingly merged with technology delivery. This progression ultimately led to the creation of IBM Global Business Services.
A significant milestone occurred in 2002 when IBM acquired the management consulting and technology services division of PricewaterhouseCoopers for approximately US$3.9 billion in cash and stock. This acquisition nearly doubled IBM’s consulting workforce by adding 30,000 professionals across 52 countries.
In 2016, IBM expanded its regulatory consulting expertise by acquiring Promontory Financial Group.
Following the separation of its Global Technology Services segment into Kyndryl, IBM Global Business Services was renamed IBM Consulting in October 2021.
Organizational structure
IBM Consulting is organized into three primary segments:
- Business Transformation Services
- Cybersecurity Services
- Hybrid Cloud Services
Acquisitions
The growth of IBM Consulting has been supported by strategic acquisitions of prominent consulting firms, including:
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Consulting, 2002
- Bluewolf, 2016
- Resource/Ammirati, 2016
- Promontory Financial Group, 2016
- TruQua, 2020
- 7Summits, 2021
- BoxBoat, 2021
- SXiQ, 2021
- Sentaca, 2022
- Neudesic, 2022
- Dialexa, 2022
- Octo, 2022
- Apptio, 2023