Computacenter Explained

Computacenter plc is a British multinational that provides information technology services to public- and private-sector customers. It is a UK company based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

History

Computacenter was founded in the UK in 1981 by Philip Hulme and Peter Ogden.^[4] In 1990, it opened Europe's largest PC outlet; in 1991, it was listed by The Independent newspaper as one of the fastest growing independent companies in the UK and, by 1994, it had grown to become the largest privately owned IT company in the UK.^[5] Computacenter was floated on the London Stock Exchange in May 1998.^[6]

In 2006 the company extended its service facilities to include a new International Service Centre in Barcelona, Spain, and a customer help desk and remote management facility in Cape Town, South Africa. The services in Spain and Cape Town were enhanced when the company acquired Digica, which provides outsourcing and managed IT services to the corporate mid-market and the public sector, in January 2007,^[7] and Allnet, which specialises in network integration and structured cabling services, in April 2007.^[8]

The company bought the UK-based consulting firm TeamUltra in April 2017,^[9] and Misco Solutions in Amstelveen in September 2018.^[10] It expanded in North America with the acquisition of the California-based business Fusion Storm in October 2018,^[11] and went to buy RD Trading (RDC), which specialises in IT disposal, in August 2019,^[12] and the Canadian business Pivot Technology Solutions in September 2020.^[13]

In March 2021, in a highly unusual procurement process, the company won contracts worth £241.5 million to supply laptops to disadvantaged children without an open tender. The satirical magazine Private Eye noted that Hulme, who remained a significant shareholder in the company, was also a major donor to the Conservative Party.^{[14] [15]}

A "significant security breach" took place in March 2023 when a Computacenter employee allowed his girlfriend, who was a Chinese citizen, into a server room at Deutsche Bank's headquarters in New York. The girlfriend was seen "physically touching" the servers. However, the manager who reported the issue was dismissed by the company in July 2023.^{[16] [17] [18]}

Operations

The company is engaged in the supply, implementation, support and management of information technology systems.^[19]

Sponsorships

Computacenter was a sponsor of the Renault Sport F1 Team.^[20]

Social responsibility

Computacenter has committed itself to the 10 core principles of United Nations Global Compact.^[21] Computacenter also helped Marks & Spencer to meet its WEEE requirements and its 'Plan A' environmental objectives, sending zero IT waste from M&S head office to landfill by 2008.^[22]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1995-10-02 . Computacenter PLC overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK . 2024-01-28 . . en.
2. Web site: Annual Results 2024. Computacenter. 18 March 2025.
3. Web site: Who we are. Computacenter. 28 January 2026.
4. News: Philip Hulme net worth . Evening Standard Tech Rich List. 3 May 2023. 19 May 2025.
5. News: Peter Ogden net worth . Evening Standard Tech Rich List. 25 March 2024. 19 May 2025.
6. Web site: Computacenter shows results of services shift. The Channel Web. 19 May 2025.
7. Web site: Computacenter buys services company Digica. 4 January 2007. The Register. 16 April 2017.
8. Web site: Computacenter reels in Allnet. 3 April 2007. The Register. 16 April 2017.
9. News: Computacenter Acquires ServiceNow Consulting Firm TeamUltra. 3 April 2017. Channel e2e. 19 May 2025.
10. News: Computacenter goes Dutch, picks up Misco's Netherlands biz. 3 September 2018. The Register. 19 May 2025.
11. News: Global Game Changer: Computacenter Acquires FusionStorm. 1 October 2018. CRN. 19 May 2025.
12. News: Arrow? More like Boomerang, amirite? Computacenter buys back tech disposal biz it disposed of. 13 August 2019. The Register. 19 May 2025.
13. News: Computacenter Acquires Pivot Technology for US IT Sector Push. 10 September 2020. Channel e2e . 19 May 2025.
14. News: Conservative Donor’s Firm Surpasses £200 Million in COVID-19 Contracts. Byline Times. 16 March 2021. 21 March 2025.
15. News: £96m laptop contracts went to Tory donor’s firm. Schools Week. 21 May 2025.
16. News: Computacenter employee let girlfriend into Deutsche Bank's server room, says ex-manager. Datacenter Dynamics. 8 May 2025. 21 May 2025.
17. News: Computacenter Employee Breaches Security by Allowing Girlfriend Access to Restricted Deutsche Tech Rooms. 7 May 2025. Cyberpress. 21 May 2025.
18. News: IT Guy Let Girlfriend Enter into Highly Restricted Server Rooms. Cyber Security News. 21 May 2025.
19. Web site: Computercentre Fact Sheet. https://web.archive.org/web/20170417154752/http://quotes.morningstar.com/stock/analysis-report?&t=XLON:CCC&region=gbr&culture=en-US&ops=p&cur=&e=eyJhbGciOiJSU0EtT0FFUCIsImVuYyI6IkExMjhHQ00ifQ.4AA2Q6W8PT6WrZTREoQS4OOI2oPKv6chboQy2a6JYrkVeWWkswMx3SCXD4BwYeSmBrkkLK-Kw5SIW2JujTdkFFDXE3ISPd-yFYsO_DEaAqjGDvawkIKF-gGRYdumfBFuSfN2gc3OjYCcp0gWDUrmGQy0ajLpthbufLWeJq_e1YQ.ZwLQhQZmsZgkWB2N.ZaEvgZeLulhq6ZBDml9rsy2WCinQ51gCigXiStdgHr2wpsZuuI6aE1wU35VKinRJJ_6MOjl6AMQ0ny8gGbD_S2iDnvhGUS9l_eMkR25yS9qOUYetFs7o4bP9xP6cFuqYWar8gH3P8gb0XmsblO18i_QrRo2_IRiw7yiBfHzAvSuMg1QGpVP-rYJ_usnjzZ21plwZs2CLdnWaVOiVtcv0zcqkD3D86ON_FlwgXkg.wzEX1EPEWcihCvzHtEw8uw. dead. 17 April 2017. Morning Star. 16 April 2017.
20. Web site: Formula 1: Computacentre join Renault Sport F1. JW Grand Prix. 16 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160401182652/https://jwgrandprix.com/2016/03/19/formula-one-computacenter-join-renault-sport-f1/ . 1 April 2016.
21. Web site: Computacenter. UN Global Compact. 16 April 2017.
22. Web site: M&S ties up managed services deal with Computacenter. 13 December 2007. The Register. 16 April 2017.