Cloud Sherpas Acquires Google Apps UK Partner Stoneburn

Cloud Sherpas, a cloud broker that has been building out its Google (GOOG) Apps and Salesforce.com (CRM) business practices, is grabbing hold on a larger footprint in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) market by acquiring London-based Stoneburn Software Services.

The United Kingdom-based technology consulting and IT services provider was picked up in an undisclosed cash and stock deal. With the acquisition of Stoneburn, the Talkin’ Cloud Top 100 Cloud Services Providers list member gains a foothold in growing markets. Stoneburn is a Premier Google Apps partner in EMEA, as well as a leading Google Search partner in the United Kingdom.

That fits in nicely with Cloud Sherpas’ own Google Apps practice, which is expected to grow by 70 percent this year.

“The U.K. and Western European cloud and Google Enterprise markets have very quickly transitioned from early adopter phase to established businesses,” said David Northington, CEO at Cloud Sherpas, in a prepared statement. The head Sherpa noted it was the right time for the company to expand into Europe, and through the Stoneburn purchase, it will gain not just an existing customer base but also new technical capabilities.

Today, about 10 percent of Cloud Sherpas’ revenue comes from Western Europe. By acquiring Stoneburn, it’s likely that number is going to shoot right up.

Cloud Sherpas noted a few reasons for the acquisition, including:

• It establishes Cloud Sherpas as a global deployment partner that is a Google Apps Premier partner in North America, Asia-Pacific and EMEA.
• The purchase of Stoneburn is an entry point into various vertical markets the London company has been serving. These include retail, media, manufacturing and transportation/logistics.
• It gains additional technical expertise.
• Stoneburn also already knows the market, making it easier and quicker for Cloud Sherpas to gain a foothold in Europe.

Stoneburn co-founders Ciaran Cosgrave and Nazir Ul-Ghani join Cloud Sherpas as vice president of the U.K. Google business unit and vice president of U.K. sales for the Google division, respectively.