The management consultancy firm will employ talent with expertise in cognitive computing, the Internet of Things, data analytics, and digital marketing.
The announcement is the latest sign that consulting firms are seeking hires with digital expertise, as they expand fast-growing digital and tech service lines.
Deloitte, KPMG, EY, and A.T Kearney have all said they are looking for digital-savvy consultants, which have been difficult to recruit. Many rely on their links with top business schools and universities.
Jo Deblaere, Accenture’s chief operating officer and chief executive for Europe, said: “This is a strategic investment for Accenture and part of our continued commitment to bring new insights and innovative solutions to our clients around the world.”
The Dublin-based Centre for Innovation will include a new Accenture Technology Lab that will focus on identifying and scaling new and emerging technologies.
Ireland has become a tech hub and a rich source of highly skilled talent, Accenture said.
The number of digital and technology consultants rose by 26% in the UK last year, according to the Management Consultancies Association. Consulting firms are increasingly warming to tech talent.
“This is common to all the consulting firms at the moment,” said Stephane Ponce, global consulting lead for career development at INSEAD, the business school. “They want to find a better way to engage with their customers via the digital medium.”
Data analytics skills are particularly hot in demand. But other industry experts are divided.
Regina Resnick, associate dean for the Career Management Center at Columbia Business School, said: “This [digital expertise] certainly is a quality firms might find attractive, but this not a key driver we are seeing in hiring decisions by employers.”
Chris Weber at UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Career Management Center, said: “It helps if students have an understanding of digital skills, but these skills have not been prioritized by the firms.”
However, he added: “We do see that these skills are currently important in the more specialized firms or practice areas, such as BCG Digital Ventures, Booz Digital, and Deloitte Digital.”
These specialist firms are looking for people with previous experience in consulting or deep product management at a technology company, he said.
Accenture’s new center joins a network of Accenture innovation labs in the US, France, China and India.
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