Capgemini CEO Paul Hermelin (pictured) on the years-long desire by his company's IT consultancy arm to acquire Ciber's U.S. operations in hopes of rapidly transforming the struggling business. Ciber, No. 43 on CRN's Solution Provider 500 list, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection April 10 and entered a $50 million "stalking horse" agreement for Capgemini to buy its $275 million North America and India businesses. The sales process is subject to higher and better offers, according to the companies, and has to be approved by the bankruptcy court.

"Even though Sogeti [Capgemini's IT professional services subsidiary] was really hungry to acquire the U.S. part, I never wanted to enter a complex integration. … But with the bankruptcy, we had the possibility to buy only the U.S. asset."