Vancouver’s Telus International has acquired WillowTree, full-service digital product provider focused on end user experiences, such as native mobile applications and unified web interfaces.
WillowTree—valued at $1.2 billion in the transaction—is a US company that had already expanded to Vancouver prior to Telus’ acquisition. The acquisition is anticipated to close in January 2023.
“We are excited to announce a strategic next step in our ambition to continue building TELUS International into a global asset of consequence, while significantly enhancing the end-to-end digital experiences of our customers around the world,” stated Darren Entwistle, Chair of the Board of TELUS International.
Entwistle, also CEO of TELUS, noted how the acquisition of WillowTree “brings key tech talent and diversity to TELUS International’s portfolio of next-generation solutions, and further augments its digital consulting and innovative client-centric software development capabilities.”
According to Entwistle, WillowTree will enhance TELUS International’s ability to accelerate TELUS’ own ongoing digital transformation “and support key product development across our business, particularly within health and agriculture and consumer goods.”
“Today marks the next step in our company’s journey, and I look forward to working alongside the talented members of the WillowTree team to jointly raise the bar for ourselves to better envision, create and implement high-impact, technology-powered brand connections that fuel customer loyalty and establish and maintain industry market leadership for our clients,” added Jeff Puritt, President and CEO, TELUS International.
TELUS this year unveiled a multi-billion investment across BC, generating 5,000 jobs through 2026. Telus International went public last year and has a market cap of roughly $2 billion.
Founded in 2008, WillowTree is headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia and today operates 13 global studios across the United States, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Romania, and in Vancouver
“We are excited to share today’s news alongside TELUS International, announcing that we will unify our teams and missions to design, build and deliver premium, disruptive and human-centered outcomes for some of the most admired brands in the world,” said Tobias Dengel, CEO of WillowTree.
“By combining the capabilities of these companies, we expect to be uniquely positioned to deliver frictionless, end-to-end user experiences, deploying a unified solution designed to allow our clients’ customers and employees to hop seamlessly among apps or websites, AI voice and bot engagement, and human voice or omnichannel support.”
The company’s 1,000 digital strategists, designers, engineers and project managers partner with brands on mission-critical, large-scale initiatives. Such brands include FOX Sports, Orange Theory Fitness, PepsiCo, and National Geographic.
“What attracted us to TELUS International was the self-evident alignment that exists between our cultures and values, focused on an absolute premium and differentiated experience for all our employees and clients,” Dengel said. “We believe that our mutual and ongoing focus on these core elements will continue to be a significant competitive advantage that consistently produces differentiated and measurable outcomes that delight our clients.”
WillowTree is hiring in Vancouver.
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