KPMG to acquire Rubicon Red to support mid-market businesses

KPMG Australia has signed an agreement to acquire the business of Rubicon Red to utilise the enterprise software integration and automation specialist's skills.

The deal will see the 104-strong team of Brisbane-headquartered Rubicon Red join KPMG to provide specialist skills in intelligent automation, data engineering and software integration to mid-market organisations.

"This comes at a critical time for clients trying to navigate their way through a fast-changing world, and emerging technologies," KPMG Australia CEO Andrew Yates says.

"Mid-market organisations are often trying to balance disparate technology assets without having the balance sheet to replace them all in a single investment, with a single solution.

"Blending Rubicon Red into our own mid-market business, KPMG Enterprise, will allow us to offer the most advanced technology to our clients at a price point that's accessible."

Rubicon Red was founded in 2009 and assists clients such as AFG, Pipe17 and The University of Adelaide to explore and increase their adoption of digital technologies and understand the value of data.

Furthermore, the business is an approved partner for several technology vendors, including MuleSoft, Oracle and Solace.

Rubicon Red's technology projects include an AI-powered chat-bot for the Queensland University of Technology to provide their student enquiry process with increased efficiency, as well as a cloud-based home loan application system for AFG to improve the home loan application process.

"Having helped hundreds of clients to unlock the power of new technology, we are ready for the next phase in our own evolution," Rubicon Red founder and CEO Matt Wright says.

"By aligning our skills and experience with the scale of KPMG Enterprise, we will be able to reach so many more businesses across Australia.

"Most importantly, our mission and values are wholly in alignment with KPMG, both in terms of building the best place to work for our people, and for our desire to have a positive impact on our communities, society and the world around us."

Matt Wright, along with Rubicon Red General Manager of Sales John Kirk, and General Manager of Delivery, DJ Munuswamy, will join KPMG as Partners, bringing with them over 100 team members located across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and India.

They will join the KPMG Enterprise Technology Advisory practice, headed by Partner, Brad Miller.

"Rubicon Red is at the forefront of the integration of new solutions which brings together technology assets, data and insights to solve business problems, something that has been recognised by many industry awards and a host of successfully delivered client projects. We are privileged to add their capabilities to our firm," Miller says.

"Their expertise and offerings will provide additional choices to our clients to extend the life, value and optionality of their existing technology investments and services."

The announcement comes as part of KPMG Australia's strategic plan to expand into technology enablement.

In 2015, the firm acquired Microsoft partner Hands-On Systems, followed by Murex software specialist IT Markets in 2016.

In 2020, Alex Moreno joined the firm as the first national head of Salesforce capability, and in 2021 Oracle specialist Certus Asia Pacific was acquired by the firm.

The Rubicon Red business will become part of KPMG Australia later this financial year, pending the successful completion of the acquisition.