After a brace of acquisitions, Fusion5 repositions as a transformation partner

Australasian systems integrator Fusion5 is formalising its transition from a business applications company to a full-service transformation partner.

The change comes after moves such as the acquisition and swift integration of Wellington-based GoCloud Systems and IntegrationWorks last year and the promotion of Shannon Moir as director of AI for Australia last month.

Formed in 2003, Fusion5 initially targeted the gap between the big, strategically focused IT consulting firms and smaller, hands-on, agile applications software specialists.

The company went on to add advanced technical and integration capabilities, partnering with business application providers such as Microsoft, Oracle, Workday and IBM.

“To keep pace with the intensifying complexity of IT ecosystems, Fusion5 acquired complementary ‘best-in-class’ IT practices to expand our in-house digital capability,” said Fusion5 Australia CEO Sven Martin.

“In particular, bringing IntegrationWorks into the fold in 2024 introduced significant skills, expertise, and referenceability – deepening our proficiency in systems integration.”

The company also invested heavily in its culture and capability; adding services such as consulting and advisory, a “robust” client-success programme and managed services.

However, recent customer research identified a perception gap.

“Our evolution had out-paced market understanding,” Martin said. “Fusion5 goes beyond the role of typical systems integrators, IT consultants, business solutions implementors, or even managed services providers – to stitch all of that digital capability and more together as a cross-functional transformation partner.”

This has enables the use of AI as a strategic lever for transformation.

Fusion 5 now offered customers “one-partner simplicity”, he said, as well as trans-Tasman capabilities.

CIOs were grappling with the ongoing tension of harnessing digital innovation while ensuring measurable IT performance, said Fusion5 New Zealand CEO Kristy Brown.

“They must champion digital agility and prepare the business to leverage new technologies while optimising existing ones,” Brown said.

Fusion5 offered a blend of business acumen and digital capability to bridge the “vision-to-performance” gap many business leaders now faced, she said.

To support its repositioning and realign market perceptions, Fusion5 has undertaken a major brand overhaul.