Re-aligning IT systems following an acquisition or merger can be a complex process – especially if the combined organisation is to gain maximum business benefit. There is a danger, however, that the senior party to the deal will be biased towards its incumbent systems, and so miss an opportunity to evaluate and rationalise its IT needs.

But that was not the case when CGI – which with 25,000 professionals and revenues of US $3 billion is one of the largest independent IT and business process services in the world – embarked on a number of significant acquisitions as part of its continuing expansion into Europe and the Asia Pacific region.