Cognizant buys Paris-based Galileo Performance

IT services and solutions provider Cognizant, acquired Galileo Performance, a Paris-based provider of IT testing consulting services. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Galileo will expand and complement Cognizant's fast-growing global testing practice, with more than 10,000 testing professionals, while strengthening Cognizant’s existing business presence in France.

Outsourced testing services have been growing significantly, not only for their value in lowering the cost of quality assurance and software maintenance, but also for ensuring tighter alignment of IT with business objectives, greater operational effectiveness, and improved governance and risk mitigation. Industry research firm IDC forecasts a five-year compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 per cent for discrete global testing services, reaching an estimated $17.7 billion by 2013.

"The acquisition will enable Cognizant to bring world-class testing services to the French market, and the addition of French-speaking consultants will help us better serve our customers in the region," said Francisco D’Souza, president and CEO, Cognizant.

"With a shared commitment to client satisfaction and delivery excellence, together we can deliver a comprehensive suite of software testing services spanning consulting, enterprise services and functionality testing, with a native French-speaking capability," said Abel Guerrini, managing director, Galileo Performance.

This is the second acquisition by the company since the start of calender year 2010. In May, Cognizant had announced the acquisition of PIPC Group, a London-based global programme management consulting firm. The company's startegy has been to make small ‘tuck-in’ acquisitions that would give it specialised skill and domain expertise. Six of the past eight “tuck-in” acquisitions by Cognizant have been in the Consulting or high-end capabilities space (such as program management, enterprise analytics and KPO) space.