Accenture has signed an agreement to acquire a 65% majority stake in DLB Associates and its affiliated companies, expanding its end-to-end capabilities for data center development as demand accelerates for AI-ready infrastructure. The deal brings DLB, a U.S.-based data center engineering and consulting firm, into Accenture’s Industry X practice to deepen its infrastructure and capital projects capabilities for software, platform, and high-tech clients seeking faster time-to-market and greater capacity to enable AI workloads.
Founded in 1980, DLB provides services spanning data center site selection, due diligence, design engineering, commissioning, construction quality management, and energy optimization. Accenture said DLB works with large hyperscalers, emerging hyperscalers, neo clouds, and colocation providers, supporting clients across the full development lifecycle with an innovative, creative, and holistic approach.
Following the closing, DLB’s approximately 620 employees, led by CEO David Quirk and chief innovation officer Neil Chauhan, are expected to join Accenture’s Industry X organization, adding specialist engineering and consulting depth in a segment where clients are increasingly encountering infrastructure constraints tied to AI-driven compute demand.
Accenture said the combination is designed to deliver an integrated offering from early conceptual design and strategic site development through advanced engineering, rapid deployment and operational performance. The company framed the move as part of a broader build-out of infrastructure and capital projects capabilities, including data center development, which has become a growing part of its services portfolio.
DLB has also contributed to industry standards, including co-founding the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers Technical Committee TC9.9, which focuses on mission-critical aspects for data centers.
Accenture said it has been expanding infrastructure and capital projects capabilities through acquisitions since 2023, citing purchases including Anser Advisory in the United States and Comtech in Canada, followed by additional deals such as Soben in the UK, BOSLAN in Spain, Partners in Performance in Australia, IQT Group in Italy and Orlade in France. The company said DLB will expand its footprint in the Americas and help Accenture participate in the global growth of AI infrastructure.
Financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including required regulatory approvals.
KEY QUOTES:
“As AI-driven demand for data center capacity accelerates, our clients increasingly face infrastructure constraints that impact their core value chains,” said Julie Sweet, chair and CEO, Accenture. “Along with DLB’s deep expertise, Accenture will offer an end-to-end capability from the earliest stages of conceptual design and strategic site development through to advanced engineering, rapid deployment, and operational performance. This approach will ensure our clients can meet the ever-increasing demands of AI with speed, scale and reliability.”
Julie Sweet, Chair And CEO, Accenture
“The data center industry is experiencing significant growth amid an unprecedented push for scaling and DLB is at the forefront of helping clients quickly navigate every stage of the development lifecycle,“ said David Quirk, CEO, DLB. “We selected Accenture to unleash our ability to match that scale and help support clients through value creation and joint ideation for next generation AI data center—at pace.”
David Quirk, CEO, DLB
“We are experiencing accelerating momentum in the data center industry,” said Neil Chauhan, chief innovation officer, DLB. “Fueled by the promise of an AI-driven future, there is a collective focus and urgency to quickly provide and deploy compute at scale. Together DLB and Accenture will be well positioned to deliver on the ambitious build programs of hyperscalers, emerging hyperscalers, neo-clouds and colocation providers.”
Neil Chauhan, Chief Innovation Officer, DLB
“We are entering a new era where companies need AI-ready infrastructure that’s built rapidly, efficiently, reliably and at scale,” said Manish Sharma, chief strategy and services officer, Accenture. “Our clients are facing challenges as they execute on their scale ambitions and look to us to help them with site planning and selection, managing staffing shortages, ensuring sustainability, and protecting against cybersecurity risks. By pairing DLB’s data center services expertise with Accenture’s global reach and strengths across supply chain, procurement, construction management and technology, we plan to address client demand for more value and innovation.”
Manish Sharma, Chief Strategy And Services Officer, Accenture
