Capgemini reports profits surge, focus on demand for engineers

French computer services consultancy Capgemini said net profit rose by a quarter last year, and highlighted a shortage of computer engineers in the expanding sector.
The figures, including staff numbers and recruitment, come a day after another European giant in the field Atos, had also reported strong results.
Both companies are expanding fast into emerging markets where demand for a broad range of computer services and systems is rising strongly, including for the financial sector, putting pressure on demand for engineers in various areas of information technology.
Capgemini said it expected a modest improvement in performance this year.
The company said that at the end of 2013 it employed 131,000 people around the world, up from 125,000 in 2012, and had recruited 32,000 people last year of whom 45.0 per cent were young people.

Recruiting numbers are given in gross, since there is high turnover in this dynamic sector as engineers move on to other opportunities and higher salaries.

Capgemini said that of the total, 58,000 people worked outside France, an increase of 4.0 per cent in the year.
Capgemini now generates 30 per cent of its sales outside Europe.
Yesterday, French group Atos reported a record net profit of USD 360.4 million for 2013 and said that at the end of the year it employed 76,320 people throughout the world, having recruited 10,806 people, of whom 62.0 per cent were in emerging markets.

Capgemini said on Thursday that last year, business in the regions of Asia-Pacific and Latin America grew by 12.0 per cent, "marked by an increase of sales in Brazil, the drive in the local market in India and the development of financial services in Asia," the company said.