Harris Computer

Harris Computer builds and acquires mission-critical software businesses, holding them for the long term rather than trading them out. The company was founded by Nigel Harris in 1976 with a computer-operated automated accounting system, and has been acquiring and growing software businesses ever since. It has been part of Constellation Software since 1996 and operates globally, serving thousands of customers across the Public Sector, Healthcare, Utilities, Private Sector and Insurance markets.

Its portfolio companies produce enterprise and mission-critical software for those verticals. Acquired businesses are treated as a permanent home rather than an interim holding: Harris looks for firms with growth potential and invests in building them over time.

The company is guided by a set of ten core values. These include respect for the individual above all else, unwavering discipline, and a preference for finding solutions over dwelling on problems. Harris states a commitment to helping employees realise their personal and professional dreams, and delegates decision-making to the people closest to the work. It describes itself as atypical of the software industry in its avoidance of corporate jargon.