Capita picks up digital design consulting studio Orange Bus

Capita has acquired UK-based design and consulting studio Orange Bus – the business will be merged into Capita’s G2G3 Digital design agency. The deal expands Capita’s capability in the area of digital design while increasing Orange Bus’ international scope – and mirrors a trend within the professional services to add digital design capabilities to the wider professional services mix.

Orange Bus design studio opened in 2006 is headquartered in Newcastle-Upon-Tyn. The studio creates strategies, software and customer and citizen experiences for brands and the UK Government. The creative agency has a range of high profile brands as clients, including Philips Aston Martin Racing and Pearson, as well as public sector organisations including HM Revenue and Customs and the NHS. The studio has a further office in London, which is focused on facilitating engagement with clients internationally. The organisation employs 75 people across its UK offices.

It was recently announced that Capita has acquired Orange Bus. The deal will see G2G3 Digital, the acquirer’s digital design agency, merge with Orange Bus. Through the acquisition Capita strengthens its digital development capability, and extends its ability to deliver complex client projects. For Orange Bus the deal means that it gains access to Capita’s existing expertise as well as its wide ranging international client base. The transaction will allow the firms to synergise their strengths, creating additional value to existing clients, and the respective contracts, of both firms – as well as create the impetus for new innovative propositions for prospective clients and new markets.

Craig Rodgerson, Chief Executive of Capita Digital and Software Solutions, says that the firm is “thrilled” about bringing Orange Bus on board. He adds: “We are always looking to extend our capability and reach in the digital arena, and the acquisition of a specialist digital solutions agency like Orange Bus will enable us to increase our scale and reach to design and deliver ever more innovative projects for our clients. They have been delivering some incredible work for their clients – including Capita – and we look forward to working with them more closely.”

Julian Leighton, Chief Executive of Orange Bus, says: “Joining Capita is the ideal next step for the team at Orange Bus, giving us the scope to continue to grow. As part of Capita we’ll be able to offer a broader range of services to our clients – and its track record of nurturing the many businesses it acquires speaks for itself.”

Professional services firms have been pushing strongly into the digital space in recent months, spurred by the growing integration between design, technology and traditional consulting. Examples of major deals include Deloitte’s purchase of Heat, IBM’s acquisition of Resource/Ammirati and the deal between Capgemini Consulting and Fahrenheit 212.