Barclays UK signs contract with Accenture

Geplaatst op 24-06-2004 door De redactie
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Barclays in the UK has signed a six-year contract worth more than GBP 400m to outsource information technology (IT) application development and management related to its UK-based commercial and retail banking systems to Accenture (NYSE: ACN - News).

Accenture will provide staff and services related to systems development, enhancement, support and maintenance activities, functions currently managed by Barclays shared IT service function. Barclays will retain responsibility and management oversight for IT strategy development and will maintain staffing in selected areas. The investment banking and asset management operations at Barclays Capital and Barclays Global Investors are not in scope.

The project is designed to help Barclays respond quickly to market demands for changes in technology and improve resource flexibility, in addition to lowering the costs associated with developing and maintaining its software applications. The contract is part of Barclays ongoing strategy to improve the agility, efficiency and capability of its retail and commercial IT, which includes selective outsourcing to strategic suppliers.

As part of the agreement, approximately 900 of Barclays UK employees will transfer to Accenture in the UK over a 12-month period. Creating the most positive outcome for the employees involved was a key focus of the contract negotiations, which included consultation both with employees and with UNIFI, Europe's largest specialist finance sector trade union.
The transfer terms will maximise employees' career options and maintain their employee benefits. There will be no compulsory redundancies for the first two years of the contract. The transfer terms agreed set new standards above and beyond UK legal requirements.

David Weymouth, Chief Information Officer, Barclays says: "Working with a recognised leader in global technology capability is an important step in ensuring that we deliver top-quartile capability and productivity in the vital area of systems development. We have worked closely with our union partner UNIFI and Accenture to manage the impact on employees and remain committed to being an employer of choice without compromising our ability to drive the business forward."

"Selective outsourcing is an increasingly important strategy for high-performance companies and can help Barclays differentiate itself in the marketplace," said Stephen G. Racioppo, global managing partner for outsourcing for Accenture's Financial Services operating group. "Our goal is to help Barclays realise its strategy by making Accenture's skilled staff, IT development and maintenance tools, capabilities and delivery centres a seamless part of the Bank's retail and commercial operating model for IT."

Lead negotiator for UNIFI, Keith Brookes, said today: "UNIFI is happy with the deal. Negotiations have been tough, but were conducted in an open atmosphere where both parties recognised their respective interests."