A leading Fujitsu executive reportedly revealed the Japanese conglomerate’s plans to grow its IT and consultancy services were suffering due to a shortage of staff, prompting the company to explore acquisitions to make up the shortfall.

Fujitsu corporate executive officer Yoshinami Takahashi told Bloomberg the company had made little progress in a bid to recruit the staff required to challenge established IT consultancy players.

Bloomberg stated Fujitsu aims to have 10,000 consultancy staff by the close of its fiscal 2026 (the year to end-March 2026), which would be a fivefold increase on current numbers.

Takahashi reportedly told Bloomberg progress towards this goal was slower than expected, going so far as to admit Fujitsu is “struggling”.

But the executive pledged action is afoot in the form of seeking acquisitions in Japan and abroad to swell its staff ranks.

The news outlet cited Accenture as a major systems integration player the Japanese company aims to emulate, noting the US consultancy’s most recent quarterly operating profit margin at its services unit was more than double Fujitsu’s figure.

In the opening quarter of its fiscal 2024 (the period to end-June), Fujitsu’s services unit booked revenue of JPY501.6 billion ($3.5 billion) compared with JPY465.4 billion in the comparable period of fiscal 2023.

Adjusted operating profit stood at JPY35 billion compared with JPY20.9 billion.

The company’s traditional hardware segment, meanwhile, recorded an adjusted operating loss of JPY4 billion, with intersegment sales leading a rise in revenue from JPY216.9 billion to JPY228.5 billion.