BCE BCE Inc

• The acquisition combines the expertise of both companies to offer a comprehensive suite of ServiceNow capabilities, powering North American businesses' IT transformation with digital workflow automation.
• HGC Technologies brings application development, HR service management, and a strong North American talent base to FX Innovation, strategically positioning FX Innovation for growth in the U.S. market.

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 9, 2024 /CNW/ - FX Innovation, a Bell Canada company, announced today the acquisition of HGC Technologies (HGC), an Elite ServiceNow partner. Based in Montréal, with Canadian and American operations, HGC has a proven track record of helping clients maximize their business impact with the ServiceNow digital workflow platform. With customized integrations of the platform into their clients' own ecosystems, they help accelerate results.

HGC strengthens FX Innovation's expertise in process automation, cloud technologies, and digital transformation, bringing strengths in business application development, HR and customer service delivery, and a strong North American talent base to support growth. HGC's existing US customer base aligns with FX Innovation's strategic plans for expansion into the US market, providing immediate access to a new and growing customer segment.

This acquisition unites Canada's ServiceNow experts, reinforcing a comprehensive ServiceNow Centre of Excellence with a complete suite of enterprise-ready capabilities. This move marks another significant step in Bell's transformation journey from traditional telco to technology services leader. Combined with Bell's reliable connectivity and advanced cybersecurity services, with HGC on board, FX Innovation can now offer clients across a wide range of industries end-to-end ServiceNow-related services, AI-driven automation and insights, and expertise to help drive business transformation.

"We are excited to welcome HGC to the FX Innovation team! Combining FX Innovation's expertise with HGC's mastery of ServiceNow creates a truly unique and powerful offering. HGC's expertise with application development on the Now® platform fits well with Bell's market strategy, enabling us to deliver custom-built solutions that meet our clients' needs. Our strong partnerships with AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Salesforce, in addition to ServiceNow, backed by Bell's network, empower us to unlock the potential of our platform approach to support mission-critical business outcomes."

- Guillaume Bazinet, CEO, FX Innovation

"I am very pleased to welcome the HGC team to the Bell Canada group of companies. Our goal is to create a $1 billion start-upⁱ and to be the best Systems Integrator and Managed Services Partner for our customers. Bringing outstanding founders and their teams together, while leveraging Bell's scale and resources to develop deep platform and vertical industry expertise is a winning strategy. We are strategic operators, aligning vertical business innovation with the power of the best platforms to help customers maximize the business impact of their investments and resources."

- John Watson, Group President, Bell

"HGC is thrilled to be joining forces with FX Innovation and Bell. This union will provide us with the resources and scale to reach a wider customer base and help more organizations unlock the full potential of ServiceNow. We are excited to leverage FX Innovation's expertise and Bell's network to deliver even more value to our clients."

- Pietro Greco, CEO, HGC Technologies

Bell is Canada's largest communications company,¹ providing advanced broadband Internet, wireless, TV, media and business communication services. Founded in Montréal in 1880, Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca. 

Through Bell for Better, we are investing to create a better today and a better tomorrow by supporting the social and economic prosperity of our communities. This includes the Bell Let's Talk initiative, which promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let's Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives throughout the country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk. 

Experts in multi-cloud, hybrid infrastructures and business process automation, FX Innovation, a Bell Canada company, provides the technological foundations on which great companies are built. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, they support digital transformation with a broad ecosystem of specialty services and technology providers including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, ServiceNow and, Salesforce.

HGC Technologies is a digital acceleration company shaping the future of work by assisting ServiceNow clients to modernize their legacy applications and digitize their business processes by managing and evolving their Now® Platform.

Media contacts

Bell/FX Innovation/HGC: media@bell.ca

Bell Investor Relations

Richard.bengian@bell.ca

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ⁱ Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this news release are forward-looking statements, including statements relating to certain benefits expected to result from the acquisition of HGC Technologies, FX Innovation's growth prospects and strategic plans, the goal to create a $1 billion start-up and other statements that are not historical facts. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of applicable Canadian securities laws and of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and are based on several assumptions which give rise to the possibility that actual results or events could differ materially from our expectations. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events, and we caution you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release describe Bell's expectations at the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Bell does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. FX Innovation's growth prospects and strategic plans, as well as the goal to create a $1 billion start-up, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and are based on certain assumptions including, without limitation, the achievement of organic growth, the completion of future acquisitions and the availability of capital. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that such growth prospects, strategic plans and goal will be achieved. There can also be no assurance that the benefits expected to result from the acquisition of HGC Technologies will be realized. For additional information on assumptions and risks underlying certain of our forward-looking statements made in this news release, please consult BCE Inc.'s (BCE) 2023 Annual MD&A dated March 7, 2024, BCE's 2024 First Quarter MD&A dated May 1, 2024, BCE's 2024 Second Quarter MD&A dated July 31, 2024 and BCE's news release dated August 1, 2024 announcing its financial results for the second quarter of 2024, filed with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities (available at Sedarplus.ca) and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at SEC.gov). These documents are also available at BCE.ca.

SOURCE Bell Canada