📖 Part of the Capgemini Investigation Series — 10 articles examining Capgemini Australia's operations, employee treatment, and business practices.
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The Basics
Capgemini is a French multinational IT consulting and services company. In Australia, they're one of the largest IT employers, with operations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
- Global revenue: €22.5 billion (2025)
- Australian employees: ~5,000-7,000
- Global employees: ~340,000
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- ASX Listed: No (Euronext Paris: CAP)
- CEO: Aiman Ezzat
The Glassdoor Verdict
3.5 out of 5 stars (491 reviews in Australia)
The numbers tell a story:
- Compensation: 3.0/5 (below market)
- Management: Consistently criticized
- Work-life balance: Mixed
- Career opportunities: Limited internally
- Culture: Corporate, bureaucratic
What Employees Say (Selected Quotes)
"Low salaries which are not adjusted to the amount of work as well as to responsibility for assigned scopes."
"Poor appraisals policy. If you have worked your sweat out for 11 months and if 1 month you were on bench (due to management incompetency) you would be rated as 3."
"Internal power struggles exist between multiple groups trying to control practices in Australia."
"Lots of favouritism and biased attitude. No transparency."
"Terrible workforce management decisions from higher-ups."
"Unstable employment practices: Quick to fire when projects don't materialize."
The Razer Data Breach Lawsuit
In June 2020, gaming company Razer suffered a cybersecurity breach that exposed personal information of approximately 100,000 customers. Order details and shipping information were leaked.
The twist? The breach was caused by a security misconfiguration in an IT system that Capgemini recommended and managed for Razer.
Razer sued Capgemini for US$7 million (approximately S$10 million) in damages, including: - US$6.85 million in lost profits from their online store - Unquantified losses from a rejected digital bank licence application
Key findings from the case: - Experts appointed by both companies agreed the breach was caused by a security misconfiguration - Capgemini's defence that "a new IP address could have led to the breach" was rejected - Razer accused Capgemini of "shifting blame and failing to take responsibility" - The lawsuit was filed in Singapore's High Court in July 2022
The lesson for businesses: When your MSP causes a data breach, who pays? In Razer's case, they tried to make Capgemini pay. Most businesses don't have that option.
The Offshoring Machine
Capgemini has made India its global offshoring hub. The company has explicitly stated:
"If Capgemini were to pull out of India, the company would have to completely reinvent the US business because no other country would be able to match India."
What this means for Australian clients:
- Work is increasingly shipped to India
- Australian staff are often "body spots" in outsourcing contracts
- Quality control issues when work crosses time zones
- Knowledge transfer problems when offshore teams rotate
Reddit user on r/sysadmin:
"Capgemini is the same as Kyndryl, DXC, Atos and all the IT infrastructure bodyshops. I wouldn't count on them for long-term employment since you're probably being brought on to fill a body spot in an outsourcing contract."
Government Contracts
Capgemini has significant Australian government contracts, including:
- South Australian Department of Innovation and Skills: $9 million, 2-year contract
- Various federal government agencies: IT modernization and cloud migration
- Department of Education (Victoria): IT support services (a former contractor)
The pattern: Capgemini wins large government contracts, then fills them with a mix of Australian "leads" and offshore delivery teams. The Australian staff often serve as the client-facing layer while the actual work happens in India.
The Layoffs
Capgemini has a pattern of hiring aggressively, then cutting when projects end:
- 2023: Capgemini APAC eliminating roles in Australia and NZ
- 2024: Capgemini folded "The Works" creative agency, making at least half the agency redundant including senior leaders
- Global: 2,500+ layoffs in previous reorganizations
Glassdoor review:
"Quick to fire when projects don't materialize. Management decisions often lack consistency and transparency."
The Financial Picture
2025 Global Results: - Revenue: €22.5 billion (flat year-on-year) - Operating profit: €2.2 billion (9.8% margin, down from 10.7% in 2024) - Net financial expense: €30 million (vs. income of €13 million in 2024)
The trend: Margins are declining. The company is under pressure to cut costs, which typically means more offshoring and fewer Australian jobs.
What Capgemini Does Well
To be fair: - Scale: They can handle massive enterprise projects - Brand: Recognized by Australian government procurement - Training: Graduate programs are well-structured - Benefits: Standard corporate benefits package - Diversity: Genuine diversity in their workforce
What Capgemini Does Poorly
- Salary: Below market rate for Australian IT professionals
- Management: Bureaucratic, inconsistent, favouritism
- Job security: Projects end, people get cut
- Offshoring: Increasing reliance on Indian delivery teams
- Client focus: Win the contract, figure out delivery later
- Contractor treatment: Often treated as expendable
The Verdict
Capgemini is a bodyshop with a French accent.
They're good at winning contracts and terrible at retaining talent. If you're a client, you'll get a polished sales team and an offshore delivery team. If you're an employee, you'll get a salary below market, inconsistent management, and the constant threat of restructuring. For the full dossier on Capgemini's controversies, see our Capgemini Exposed article.
For IT workers considering Capgemini: - It's a fine place to start your career (graduate programs) - Don't expect market-rate salary - Don't expect long-term job security - Don't expect to be treated as more than a resource - Use it as a stepping stone, not a destination
For businesses considering Capgemini: - Get SLAs in writing with teeth - Require named Australian resources - Include data breach liability clauses - Don't assume "premium price = premium delivery" - Have an exit strategy before you start
Related Guides
- MSP Contract Checklist — Protect yourself before signing
- MSP vs In-House IT — Is direct hiring better?
- Fair Work and MSPs — Know your rights
- Capgemini Exposed — The complete dossier on Capgemini's controversies
- Offshore Arbitrage — How the offshoring model works
- MSP Directory — Browse Capgemini's profile and compare with other MSPs
This article is based on publicly available information including employee reviews, court documents, financial reports, and industry analysis. The MSP Playbook is not affiliated with Capgemini.
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