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Ex-Accenture CEO Joe Forehand Named as Chairman of the Board at Aricent

By Amarendra Bhushan for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:December 10, 2008

Aricent, a global innovation, technology and outsourcing company focused exclusively on the communications industry, today named Joe Forehand Chairman of the Board. Mr. Forehand has been an Aricent board member since October 2006.

Mr. Forehand is currently a Senior Advisor at KKR, and prior to that served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Accenture, where he spent 34 years of his career. Mr. Forehand retired from Accenture in September of 2006.

“Joe’s success in navigating and evolving global companies through periods of significant change and growth are well documented,” said James H. Greene, member of KKR. “He’s been a tremendous force behind Aricent’s successful strategy to date and we look forward to his leadership ahead as the company continues to redefine the strategic supplier landscape for communications solutions.” Mr. Forehand served as Accenture’s CEO from November 1999 through August 2004. He led Accenture through a period of significant change and growth – including launching the Accenture name – executing one of the largest global rebranding campaigns of its kind in record time. In July 2001 Mr. Forehand led the company in its IPO, one of the largest in US history. Mr. Forehand has also overseen the company’s strategic change initiative, moving Accenture from a conventional consulting model to a focus on business consulting, technology leadership and outsourcing.

During Mr. Forehand’s term as CEO, Accenture grew from $9.6 billion in revenue and 66,000 employees to $13.7 billion in revenue and 103,000 employees. As a public company under his leadership, Accenture’s total return to shareholders was 74 percent at a time when the S&P 100 Index decreased 14 percent. Accenture’s fiscal year 2004 return on invested capital would rank No. 1 relative to the S&P 100 companies.

Mr. Forehand also is a former member of the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies with $4.5 trillion in annual revenues and nearly 10 million employees.

“Communications is a fundamental, strategic opportunity for competitive advantage across all industries. To innovate and thrive in this domain, companies must comprehend a fast changing, highly complex global environment of technologies, equipment, services, standards, and more,” said Joe Forehand, Chairman of the Board at Aricent. “Aricent was built to serve the fast growing need for communications expertise – from innovation to technology to services – in a highly scalable model. I’ve had the good fortune to be involved with Aricent from very early on when this idea was conceptualized and to be a part of the great success so far. I look forward to the future with the company well positioned to fulfill its mission of being the leading strategic partner for communications expertise in the world.”

About Aricent

Aricent is a global innovation, technology and outsourcing company focused exclusively on communications. Aricent combines the leading innovation capabilities of frog design with unparalleled domain expertise in communications gained as a strategic supplier to the world’s foremost infrastructure, application and service providers. The company is owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Sequoia Capital, The Family Office and Flextronics International Ltd. and has more than 550 clients worldwide. For more information, visit www.aricent.com.

Who is Joe Forehand?

Mr. Joe W. Forehand served as Accenture’s CEO from November 1999 through August 2004, leading Accenture through a period of significant change and growth. In August 2000, Mr. Forehand orchestrated the successful conclusion of the company’s arbitration process with Andersen Worldwide. Shortly thereafter, the company changed its name to Accenture and undertook one of the largest global rebranding campaigns of its kind in record time. In July 2001 Mr. Forehand led the company in its IPO, one of the largest in US history. Mr. Forehand has also overseen the company’s strategic change initiative, moving Accenture from a conventional consulting model to a focus on business consulting, technology leadership and outsourcing.

Mr. Forehand joined the company in 1972 in the Atlanta office and became a partner 10 years later. He was named Accenture’s CEO in November 1999 and chairman of the board of directors in February 2001. Immediately prior to becoming CEO, he led Accenture’s Communications & High Tech operating group.

Mr. Forehand has received many honors for his visionary leadership. Among them are the Carl S. Sloane Award for Excellence in Management Consulting and the Morgan Stanley Leadership Award for Global Commerce, sponsored by the Computerworld Honors Program. Mr. Forehand also is a member of the Hands On Network Advisory Council, which advises the Hands On Network as it seeks to extend and enhance volunteer and civic action through corporate participation.

Raised in Alabama, Mr. Forehand graduated from Auburn University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering. He received a Master of Science degree in industrial administration from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University in 1972. Mr. Forehand also holds an honorary doctorate of management from Purdue University. He and his wife have two sons.

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