Infosys acquisition won't change The Missing Link's DNA: Alex Gambotto

Alex Gambotto has previously described The Missing Link as a “teenager” –  “always growing, experimenting, and occasionally pushing boundaries”.

Today, with the news that Infosys has an agreement to acquire The Missing Link in a deal potentially amounting up to AU$98 million, the Australian firm's CEO told techpartner.news that the company he and Daniel Forsythe started in 1997 would be “fully grown, to the point where we can deliver to anyone on earth.”

The deal, which is expected to close in The Missing Link’s fourth quarter of its 2025 financial year, pending customary approvals, will bring the 27 year-old Australian IT solutions and services firm under the umbrella of the 300,000-person multinational. 

The Missing Link will continue to operate under its existing brand, with the addition of “an Infosys company” to its title. The Australian business will also continue to operate under its existing leadership and with its existing team, which totalled more than 200 people at the time of writing.

Gambotto called the deal an “acquisition of acceleration”.

“We’ve had huge growth but we can't compare to someone like Infosys,” he told techpartner.news, describing the multinational as a “juggernaut”.

“By joining Infosys, we’re gaining access to world-class platforms, deeper expertise and a global reach,” he added in an announcement.

In an article on The Missing Link website, Gambotto talked up Infosys’ “transformational programs and global reach”, access to “some of the world’s most respected organisations”, “incredible career pathways” and “scale to take what we do best and amplify it globally”. He also noted Infosys’ “deep global vendor relationships and consulting depth”.

He also used the article to reassure readers that The Missing Link’s values, culture and service promise would remain: “We’re still us – just stronger, bolder, and ready to take things to a whole new level.”

Speaking to techpartner.news, he spoke about The Missing Link being nimble enough “to provide the service of a small business while delivering like a larger business.”

He also talked-up career benefits for The Missing Link’s team. “We very specifically were interested in helping our team grow their careers. We have incredible staff that have continued to work for our business, some for over two decades,” he said.

“The problem is – as a business of 210-220 people, depending on the day you speak to us –  is that sometimes those very, very good people get to a point where [the work is] just similar, even though we are growing. Whereas with the acquisition by Infosys, the amount of opportunities we bring to our staff will be huge.

“They have a vast array of specialties due to their scale. They are trusted by many of top 200 companies in Australia.

“Culturally, we have a huge amount of alignment. They are a very growth focused business. From a strategic alignment perspective that is also very important.”

Cybersecurity strength 

Cybersecurity became one of The Missing Link's strengths in the decades following its launch. In 2013 it launched specialist cybersecurity services and in 2016, The Missing Link’s security division was the fastest growing business in our Fast50, with revenue of $11.5 million. At the time, it was the largest business to reach the top of the Fast50 in five years.

In 2003, it bought Inform Solutions, followed by the acquisition of the IT infrastructure division of Artis Group in 2011, when The Missing Link reportedly had about 60 staff members.

Along the way it also expanded its physical presence, including opening a Melbourne office in 2017 and an office in the United Kingdom in 2021.

Last year, Gambotto said the company's team had achieved a "record-breaking Q4 and a 27-year record month in June. 

Before today's acquisition announcement, the company's shareholders were Gambotto, Forsythe, Aaron Bailey and Sam Marshall. Karen Drewitt is also a shareholder of two companies. We were told that Forsythe is no longer actively involved in the company and stepped away from day-to-day operations a few years ago. 

Asked today what the Infosys acquisition meant to him personally, Gambotto said: “How could I be anything but proud. I wish my dad would be around to see it. He was very proud of me when it started, so I would have loved him to have seen this.”