ICL Expands Global Alliance with Microsoft, Eyes £1bn in New Business

Strategic Insights -

ICL, a leading computer services group, has announced an expansion of its global alliance with Microsoft, targeting corporate customers in four new markets: electronic business, financial services, smartcards, and secure systems. The move follows the success of their earlier tie-up, launched in May last year, and is expected to generate more than £1bn in new business. As part of the alliance, ICL will establish five new 'solution centres' in Botswana, Finland, France, South Africa, and India, creating approximately 200 new jobs outside the UK.

Key Takeaways:

  • ICL's expanded alliance with Microsoft targets corporate customers in four new markets: electronic business, financial services, smartcards, and secure systems.
  • The alliance is expected to generate more than £1bn in new business.
  • ICL will establish five new 'solution centres' in Botswana, Finland, France, South Africa, and India, creating approximately 200 new jobs outside the UK.
  • The company will expand its Microsoft training programme to accredit 250 consultants as Windows developers and up to 2,000 ICL sales staff on Microsoft's enterprise software.
  • ICL's existing alliance with Microsoft has generated orders of £1.3bn over the past year and added £350m to revenues out of a £500m target set for three years.
  • The alliance has directly led to the creation of at least 1,000 jobs at ICL.

Statistics:

  • £1.3bn: orders generated by ICL through its existing alliance with Microsoft over the past year
  • £350m: revenue added by ICL through its alliance with Microsoft over the past year
  • £500m: three-year target for ICL's revenue growth through its alliance with Microsoft
  • 1,000+: jobs created at ICL due to the alliance with Microsoft
  • 200+: new jobs expected to be created in ICL's facilities outside the UK as part of the expanded alliance
  • 2,000: number of ICL staff to be accredited on Microsoft's enterprise software

Sources:

  • "ICL to expand Microsoft alliance with £1bn target" (Financial Times Limited, 1999)