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Mercer to acquire some DiamondCluster operations     Mercer Management Consulting said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Continental Europe, Middle East, and South America operations of DiamondCluster International, the management consulting firm headquartered in Chicago.    The acquired     high-tech industries.    In Europe, the newly combined firm's telecommunications and high-tech industry practice will become the second-largest consultancy serving this sector.    Under the terms of the transaction, Mercer Management Consulting will acquire the stock     of five of DiamondCluster International's subsidiaries in France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates in a stock sale for $20m in cash, plus approximately $10m in cash for excess working capital, making the total value of the transaction at closing     approximately $30m.    DiamondCluster International may also earn up to an additional $7m in cash if the consulting operations in those markets achieve certain revenue objectives during the first 18 months following the closing date of the transaction.     operations in Paris, Munich, Madrid, Barcelona, Dubai, and Sao Paulo include 150 strategy and operations consultants to the telecommunications and

Capgemini ups 2006 growth target on strong Q2 results     Capgemini reported an 8.6% rise in second-quarter sales on strong performance in the technology services area that beat market forecasts, and raised its 2006 revenue growth target.    Sales for the quarter rose to €1.915bn ($2.4bn), boosted by growth in continental Europe and the UK. On average analysts were expecting sales of €1.877bn.    Capgemini's second-quarter sales     and perimeter (on a like-for-like basis), should approach 10% for the whole of 2006," Capgemini said in a statement.    Capgemini released some country-specific revenue growth figures: overall Europe grew by 12.5% while North America grew by 4% to €334m; Central Europe grew 12% organically to €122m; France, 3% to €434m; and the UK grew an impressive 29% to €556m on account of the Aspire outsourcing deal     with HM Customs & Excise.    The Aspire contract accounted for €300m or 16% of Capemini's Q2 revenues, but CEO Paul Hermelin pointed out during a conference call with analysts that Capgemini is seeing growth in the UK and in particular in the public sector, aside from Aspire.    Outsourcing and technology services grew (on a like-for-like basis) 15.3% and 10.9%, respectively. Local     professional services and consulting saw 5.6% and 4.5% growth, respectively.    Bookings in the quarter came at €1.7bn, on par with Q1 2005, but lower that the €3bn reported in Q1 2006.    Hermelin said the company is “looking at possible opportunities” and that it could consider bolt-on acquisitions in Europe.        growth stood at 10.9% on a like-for-like basis, excluding the effects of currency exchange rates and acquisitions and disposals.    "Following these results, the group is upwardly revising its revenue growth target which, at constant rates

Xansa remains confident despite revenue fall     The cost of moving work to its Indian operations resulted in an expected 5% fall in full-year revenue for Xansa, but the company said growth is to accelerate over the next year as revenue rose in the second half of the year and profit margins climb.    Xansa reported that revenue for the year to     30 April fell to £357.3m from £376.4m a year earlier. Underlying profit before tax and exceptional items rose 6% to £13.3m from £12.5m.    Xansa said that "underlying" operating profit margin (excluding property charges, pension settlements and curtailments and     share-based payments) was 6.5%, up from 5.4% the previous year. That was partly as a result of transferring work to India, where higher margins are possible.    “Margins are up as expected year-on-year and we have seen a return to revenue growth in the second half of the year,” said Xansa     chief executive Alistair Cox. “This important turning point means that the volume of new work we are now undertaking outweighs the dilutive effect of moving previously onshore-delivered work to our offshore delivery centres in India.”    Xansa said it expects the information     technology services market to continue to grow in the single digits over the next year, but added that it expects its revenues to grow faster than the market.

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