Bell Integration has moved to boost its AI business with its first acquisition in nearly seven years – and it’s a biggie.
The Portsmouth-based SI has taken on global AI software outfit Amelia’s Digital-First managed services team, as part of a wider strategic relationship between the duo.
At the same time, Bell’s delivery teams will back Amelia’s Digital-First offering.
Headquartered in New York, conversational AI outfit Amelia scored $175m in strategic investment last March.
The deal marks Bell’s first M&A move since 2017, when it snapped up Hamilton Rentals.
Since then, the south coast player has been on an organic growth drive that saw it rank as the UK’s seventh-largest IT solutions provider by revenue in IT Channel Oxygen’s Oxygen 250 report.
“We are excited to welcome Amelia’s Digital-First team to the Bell Integration family and have already started to see the benefits of working together”, Manpreet Gill, CEO of Bell Integration stated.
“This strategic relationship will allow us to better serve our customers, extend our service offering and accelerate the growth of our AI business.”
Amelia President and Chairman Lanham Napier added: “Bell Integration has long been a strong and successful partner of ours. As such, we are thrilled to launch into this next chapter of our alliance.
“Leveraging Bell as our premier Digital-First provider will further strengthen our position as a leader in enterprise AI and deliver incredible products and outcomes for our customers.”
Bell said the move will bolster its AI teams across the UK, India, North America and Europe.
The acquired skills enable it to deliver a range of AI services and solutions from strategic consulting, architecture, design, AI implementation and run services, it added.
Bell Integration’s AI Services & Solutions Director, Faisal Abbasi, added: “We are thrilled to join forces with Amelia. Together, we will be able to offer our existing and new customers globally a more comprehensive AI solution, underpinned with Bell Integration’s AI platform, AI Digital-First services and existing highly skilled delivery organisation.”