Accenture invests US$3 billion into cloud migration initiative
Accenture has today announced the investment of US$3 billion over the next three years towards Accenture Cloud First, with the aim of aiding clients with 'cloud-first' migrations.
Accenture Cloud First is a new multi-service group of 70,000 cloud professionals that brings together Accenture's industry, technology capabilities and ecosystem partnerships.
Specifically, this new group integrates the company's cloud expertise, including cloud migration, infrastructure, and application services. It also includes deep industry and cross-industry insights, data and applied intelligence capabilities.
Accenture says this operational experience at scale is critical to ensuring companies realise value from their cloud and digital transformation. Edge computing, integrated with the cloud, also will be a key focus area.
"COVID-19 has created a new inflexion point that requires every company to accelerate the move to the cloud as a foundation for digital transformation to build the resilience that the ongoing health, economic and societal crisis demands," says Accenture chief executive officer Julie Sweet.
"Accenture Cloud First and our substantial investment demonstrate our commitment to delivering greater value to our clients when they need it most.
"Digital transformation requires cloud at scale, and post-COVID-19 leadership requires that every business become a 'cloud first' business."
The Cloud First program also combines learning and talent development expertise as well as nurturing a deep experience in cloud change management.
"Cloud is the most disruptive and value-creating technology of our time—it is the foundation for the digital transformation that is driving profound changes in how businesses operate, compete and create value for all their stakeholders," says Accenture Technology group chief executive Paul Daugherty.
"With most businesses currently at only about 20% in the cloud, moving to 80% or more rapidly and cost-effectively is a massive change that requires a bold new model.
"Accenture Cloud First, along with our $3 billion investment and our market-leading SaaS capabilities in Intelligent Platform Services, ensures that we provide our clients with value, speed and innovation in every part of their cloud journey.
Accenture Strategy and Consulting group chief executive Annette Rippert says the program, with its hefty investment into the cloud, is an exercise in future-proofing.
"The acceleration to new levels of digital performance by companies requires a transformation of talent across the enterprise to achieve truly new ways of competing, operating and serving customers," says Rippert.
"We believe that helping our clients purposefully build the core skills they need and quickly adopt new ways of working is essential to achieve value moving to the cloud.
"Accenture Cloud First brings our strong capabilities in driving change and developing talent not only for our clients but also for Accenture—we are already 95% in the cloud, and in FY19, we invested $1 billion in developing our people.
