Capgemini has chosen to design its site as an area for human dialogue, which invites users to talk to its experts. Two years ago, Capgemini created Expert Connect, a section of the capgemini.com website where over a hundred experts – which reflect the diversity of the Group’s activities, sectors and countries – share their experience and know-how with visitors through blogs and forums, and interact using social networks (Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter). In 2011 and 2012 more than 100,000 online conversations took place thanks to this platform.

“This new business site, which leverages the very latest technologies, is the cornerstone of our digital branding strategy. At a time when digital transformation is making an impact on businesses and society at large, we have designed a truly rich media and social platform via which all our audiences can get informed about what we do, as well as exchange and directly interact with our experts,” said Philippe Grangeon, Group Marketing and Communication Director.

With more than 125,000 people in 44 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2012 global revenues of EUR 10.3 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Pierre-Yves Cros, previously CEO of Capgemini Consulting* (CC) and member of the executive committee since 2003 is appointed as chief development officer taking charge of strategy and M&A for the Capgemini group. Xavier Hochet, currently CEO of Capgemini Consulting in France takes over as CEO of the Group’s global strategy and transformation consulting organization. He joins the Group’s Executive Committee.

“I am counting on the managerial talent and experience of Xavier Hochet to further strengthen the role of consulting within the Group, and reinforce its synergies with the other businesses. With regards to Pierre-Yves Cros, the driving force of ‘digital transformation’ – now the spearhead of Capgemini Consulting – his in-depth knowledge of Capgemini and his role in taking forward its strategic developments will be valuable assets,” says Paul Hermelin, Chairman and CEO of the Capgemini Group.

Xavier Hochet will be supported by Ken Toombs, CEO of Capgemini Consulting North America, who becomes deputy CEO of Capgemini Consulting. In addition, Cyril Garcia, previously strategy and transformation director for the Capgemini Group, takes over CC France. In his former role, Cyril initiated the development of new business models within the Group, such as the pay-as-you-use billing, and contributed to Capgemini’s expansion in emerging markets.

Capgemini Consulting is the global strategy and transformation consulting organization of the Capgemini Group, specializing in advising and supporting enterprises in significant transformation, from innovative strategy to execution and with an unstinting focus on results. With the new digital economy creating significant disruptions and opportunities, our global team of over 3,600 talented individuals work with leading companies and governments to master Digital Transformation, drawing on our understanding of the digital economy and our leadership in business transformation and organizational change.

from Capgemini files

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini has been selected by global high-technology and engineering group Sandvik to deliver parts of its transactional finance and accounting processes. As part of the 5 year, multimillion euro contract, Capgemini BPO will standardize and optimize Sandvik’s global transactional finance activities, implementing the new model in 29 countries across all business areas.

Capgemini has over 9,000 FAO professionals working across 27 delivery centers in 37 languages for over 60 international clients. Key FAO services include Procure-to-Pay, Bill-to-Cash, Record-to-Analyze and Multi-process. Capgemini has been  positioned by Gartner, Inc in the leaders quadrant for Finance and Accounting BPO, in the latest “Magic Quadrant for Comprehensive Finance and Accounting BPO, Global” **. Capgemini has also made the “Winners Circle” for the 2013 F&A BPO Blueprint review recently published by HfS Research (March 2013).

The key part of the project will be migrating Sandvik’s global financial processing for Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivables and General Accounting to Capgemini’s delivery centers in Brazil, Poland, China and India. Leveraging Capgemini’s Rightshore® Global Delivery Network will ensure the optimization of offshore and nearshore resources to drive significant efficiency improvements for Sandvik.

“We are delighted to be working on this important global project with Sandvik – a valued client of the Capgemini Group for years whose relationship has now extended to BPO. Sandvik prides itself on ambition, speed, flexibility and focus and we are pleased that they have recognized these attributes in Capgemini,” says Hubert Giraud, CEO for Global Business Process Outsourcing at Capgemini.

from Capgemini files

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini Norge AS has won an agreement with Norway Post for the delivery of application management and development of core applications. The agreement has a value of 34 million Euros and will last throughout 2019. The contract builds on an innovative ‘as-a-service’ commercial model with adjusted costs based on the services that are provided. Capgemini will leverage its Rightshore approach using its delivery centers in Oslo in Norway, Helsingborg in Sweden and Mumbai in India.

The contract includes outsourcing of central applications, such as ERP and data warehousing. Capgemini aims to introduce an industrialized way of working and standardized processes which are transparent and can be fine-tuned over time, so that Norway Post will be able to reduce costs and still gain higher flexibility within IT.

With more than 125,000 people in 44 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2012 global revenues of EUR 10.3 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore^®, its worldwide delivery model.

Ola Furu, CEO at Capgemini Norge AS comments: 

“This is a significant and innovative contract for Capgemini here in Norway and Capgemini as a group. We are both humble and proud that Norway Post, with whom we’ve build a long-standing relationship, has entrusted us with this important delivery project.”

from Capgemini files

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini, and EMC, the global leader in private, public and hybrid cloud infrastructure technologies, recently announced the expansion of their global alliance with a strategic go-to-market agreement to expand operations in Brazil. The two companies will work collaboratively to deliver customer value through the implementation of next-generation cloud solutions.

Capgemini’s relationship with EMC dates back to 2002 when the companies began offering joint pay-as-you-go storage services. Capgemini has been an EMC Global Alliance Partner since the program’s inception in 2008. The two companies formed a strategic alliance in 2011, with the aim of driving significant growth through the joint development of next-generation, cloud-based solutions.

“EMC’s commitment in Capgemini Brasil is a key milestone in the strategic alliance between our companies. As the fourth largest IT services provider in Brazil, we have witnessed a shift in IT spending patterns as our customers here move to a more service-based cloud approach to IT procurement,” says Jean-Claude Viollier, Corporate Vice President, Head of Global Channels and Partners, Capgemini.  “Through this initiative we will be able to leverage EMC’s market leading technology to drive significant growth through innovative joint IT solutions that deliver exceptional value and help accelerate the cloud-enabled journey for clients in Brazil.”

This new addition to that alliance extends the strategic partnership of the two companies to leverage their expertise to enable geographic, vertical and emerging markets growth, first in Brazil, before rolling out similar approaches in other markets.

from Capgemini files.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, announced it has been named as one of the Ethisphere Institute’s World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2013. This is a significant achievement and recognition of Capgemini’s commitment to ethical leadership, compliance practices, and corporate social responsibility. The awards were presented at an Honoree dinner in New York on March 5.

Capgemini’s Ethics & Compliance Program was launched in 2009 by the Group Board of Directors. This program is based on the culture of ethics which has been a core part of the Group since its inception in 1967. As part of this program, Capgemini set up a network of Ethics and Compliance Officers and launched a Code of Business Ethics, an Anti-corruption Policy and a Competition Laws Policy to reassert its values in every country in which it operates. The program is supported by a significant global training programme with dedicated online training sessions for each of the three policies and several face-to-face training options.

With more than 125,000 people in 44 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2012 global revenues of EUR 10.3 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws onRightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

with files from Capgemini

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini report

 According to Capgemini,  the complexity of global supply chains, increasing costs, explosion in order and delivery channels, rising customer expectations and new consumer behavior have all contributed to the growing challenges faced by organizations when it comes to order fulfillment operations.

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, in partnership with Oracle, recently announced the findings of its global supply chain and logistics management study entitled: ‘From Customer Orders through Fulfillment: Challenges in Manufacturing, High Tech, and Retail ’.

The study surveyed almost 600 top supply chain executives in manufacturing, high-tech and retail businesse s worldwide to analyze common fulfillment challenges and areas in need of improvement.

Companies need adequate multi-channel management systems – almost nine out of ten manufacturers (86 percent) reported their customers are ordering through multiple channels (with on average 3.1 order-taking channels including e-commerce, call centers and EDI)* and this trend is on the rise – with 45 percent of respondents saying that multi-channel ordering has risen by 45 percent in the last year. The need for a platform that can provide consistent fulfillment process control regardless of the ordering or fulfillment channel used is necessary.

from Capgemini files

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Aiman Ezzat, Group Chief Financial Officer of the Capgemini Group, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services has appointed Lucia Sinapi-Thomas as Deputy Chief Financial Officer of the Group.

Lucia Sinapi-Thomas graduated from ESSEC business school (86) and Paris Law University (88), was admitted to the Paris bar (89), and has a financial analyst degree (SFAF 97).

Lucia Sinapi-Thomas started her career as a tax and business lawyer in 1986, before joining Capgemini in 1992 as Group Tax Advisor. Since 1999, she is also in charge of Corporate Finance and Treasury. In 2005, she becomes a member of Group Review Board in charge of Business Risk Management and Insurance. She is also in charge of Investors Relations between 1999 and 2005.
Elected as representative of employee shareholders, she has been appointed as a member of Capgemini Board in May 2012.

With more than 125,000 people in 44 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2012 global revenues of EUR 10.3 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want.

Aiman Ezzat comments:

“With a unique combination of insight on Group business and financial expertise, Lucia is a key asset in the Group Finance Department”

from Capgemini files

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, recently announced it has been named as one of the Ethisphere Institute’s World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2013.

“We are delighted to receive this award which recognizes how we have embraced ethical business practices and demonstrated industry leadership among the ‘Ethics Champions League’. At Capgemini, ethics, compliance and corporate social responsibility are central to Group policy both from an internal perspective and the way we work with our customers and we see that this will continue to grow in importance,” said Hervé Canneva, Ethics & Compliance Officer at Capgemini.

Capgemini’s Ethics & Compliance Program was launched in 2009 by the Group Board of Directors. This program is based on the culture of ethics which has been a core part of the Group since its inception in 1967. As part of this program, Capgemini set up a network of Ethics and Compliance Officers and launched a Code of Business Ethics, an Anti-corruption Policy and a Competition Laws Policy to reassert its values in every country in which it operates.

With more than 125,000 people in 44 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services.

from Capgemini press releases

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini Norge AS, part of the Capgemini Group, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has won an agreement with Norway Post for the delivery of application management and development of core applications.

The contract includes outsourcing of central applications, such as ERP and data warehousing. Capgemini aims to introduce an industrialized way of working and standardized processes which are transparent and can be fine-tuned over time, so that Norway Post will be able to reduce costs and still gain higher flexibility within IT.

The agreement has a value of 34 million Euros and will last throughout 2019. The contract builds on an innovative ‘as-a-service’ commercial model where the costs will be adjusted based on the services that are provided. Capgemini will leverage its Rightshore approach using its delivery centers in Oslo in Norway, Helsingborg in Sweden and Mumbai in India.

“This is a significant and innovative contract for Capgemini here in Norway and Capgemini as a group. We are both humble and proud that Norway Post, with whom we’ve build a long-standing relationship, has entrusted us with this important delivery project”, says Ola Furu, CEO at Capgemini Norge AS.

from Capgemini press releases

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Capgemini has recently built a service called the conversation wheel for SAP Solution Manager, to enable communication with customers. Each of the 17 sub-functions of SAP Solution Manager are supported by educational information and client reference cases to help sales teams.

Capgemini has a long-standing relationship with SAP with over 11,500 practitioners focused on SAP solutions globally, and provides application lifecycle services in support of SAP solutions, including on-premise, on-device and on-demand projects to thousands of clients worldwide. It has developed best practices, global tools, templates and accelerators supported by solution centers, such as its Crescent center for the consumer products, wholesale and retail market.

“This global certification is further recognition of Capgemini’s collaboration with SAP as a global strategic alliance partner and it underscores our expertise in implementing SAP solutions for our customers across a wide range of sectors. The achievement is in addition to our recent local certification across numerous different geographies including North America, India and the Netherlands,” said Christophe Lacroix, senior vice president and global SAP partner executive at Capgemini.

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As consumers today become empowered through social and mobile technologies, they increasingly require real-time product updates and the ability to scan barcodes to obtain “beyond the label” data such as product origin, ingredients and manufacturing working conditions.

The report, titled: “The Future of Standards in the Consumer Goods & Retail Industry: Cut costs and meet new consumer needs,” calls on the industry to introduce simplified programs to help users embrace and deploy standards while enabling provision of standardized product data to consumers.

Susan Wood, Principal, Capgemini Consulting North America, said,

 “Our report shows the urgent need for not only the greater adoption of standards and more consistency in standards implementation, but also improved data, guidelines and governance across the consumer goods and retail sector. This is particularly important due to increasing consumer demands, which are driving the digital transformation needed to improve the shopper all-channel experience.”

The latest study was based on in-depth interviews with leaders in supply chain and IT functions of 20 global consumer goods manufacturers and retailers worldwide, across Europe, Asia and North America, including Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Tesco, Unilever and Walmart.

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 By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Michel Jalabert, Member of the Board of the Capgemini Group, died on Wednesday, March 13, at the age of 80 after battling a long illness.

Born on January 20, 1933, Michel Jalabert received degrees from the Ecole Supérieure d’Electricité school of electrical engineering and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques institute of political science in Paris. He began his career in 1958 at Bull, where he was named manager of the company’s Mexican subsidiary and then was promoted to the position of Director of Services. In this capacity, he supervised Serge Kampf, who was the Regional Director of Dauphiné-Savoies in Grenoble at the time. Michel Jalabert left Bull in 1971 to become General Manager of Gemini Computer Systems (which would later become a subsidiary of the Cap Gemini Group), then European Manager of General Automation in 1974.

In 1997, Serge Kampf established Michel Jalabert as Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board chaired by Klaus Mangold and created at the request of shareholder Daimler-Benz.  In this role, Michel Jalabert’s mission was to rein in Daimler Benz’s impulses to take over the Group. When Capgemini freed itself of German supervision and returned to being a traditional French société anonyme (public limited company) in May 2000, Michel Jalabert became a member of the Group’s Board of Directors, and remained an active member until he passed away.

In the Capgemini  Group’s history, Michel Jalabert will forever be known as one of the architects of Cap Gemini’s remarkable success. Those of his many friends who are still with the Group remember him today as a discreet, highly intelligent, vastly cultured man fuelled by his constant curiosity about everything.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology, and outsourcing services, and EMC, the global leader in private, public and hybrid cloud infrastructure technologies, announced the expansion of their global alliance with a strategic go-to-market agreement to expand operations in Brazil. The two companies have committed to work collaboratively to deliver customer value through the implementation of next-generation cloud solutions.

The Integrated Solutions business unit will focus on the creation of value-added services standardized on EMC technology and As-a-Service cloud solutions to enable and expand the range of options for IT organizations seeking to gain business agility without sacrificing trust and control in their cloud computing.

Capgemini’s relationship with EMC dates back to 2002 when the companies began offering joint pay-as-you-go storage services. Capgemini has been an EMC Global Alliance Partner since the program’s inception in 2008. The two companies formed a strategic alliance in 2011, with the aim of driving significant growth through the joint development of next-generation, cloud-based solutions.

In 2010, the Capgemini Group acquired CPM Braxis, which had been successfully operating in Brazil for more than 30 years. Later in 2012 CPM Braxis Capgemini was newly rebranded Capgemini Brasil. Capgemini in Brazil employs 7,800 people and serves over 200 clients, offering four main service lines: Applications Services, Infrastructure Services and Products and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

With an average of only 30 percent of customers globally reporting having positive customer experiences with their insurers, insurers will need to address multi-distribution and customer experience concludes the sixth annual World Insurance Report 2013 (WIR 2013) released  by Capgemini and Efma. The report also finds that mobile and social media channels are gaining traction with insurers in terms of early adoption rates. 

Customer experience reflects the entire customer lifecycle while customer satisfaction is just a one-time measure of how products and services meet or surpass customer expectations. On average, the WIR finds that approximately only one in three customers across 30 countries studied in the report’s new Customer Experience Index (CEI) had a positive experience with their insurance company, while 62 percent registered positive customer satisfaction levels.

A majority of insurers are viewing mobile as an important access point for supporting the overall customer experience (especially in areas like quotes, claims, and relationship management) rather than just as an additional sales channel.  And while insurance customers prefer online for activities like finding best price and comparing policy coverage, they still prefer physical distribution networks (agents and brokers) when it comes to gaining brand trust.

Similarly, social media offers insurers new ways to increase their market penetration and increase the effectiveness of their customer retention/acquisition strategies. According to the WIR, a majority of global insurers (59 percent) are already leveraging social media but very few have integrated it into their overall enterprise-wide CRM strategies leading to sub-optimal results. The report suggests integrating social media strategies with traditional CRM will create “social CRM” enabling enhanced positive experience for customers’ and insurer branding propositions

With more than 125,000 people in 44 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2012 global revenues of EUR 10.3 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

 New Capgemini Contract

The European Space Agency, has appointed the Aerospace & Defence division of Capgemini, one the global leaders in consulting, IT services and outsourcing, to implement the ground segment of the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) system, funded by the European Commission. Capgemini, as project manager of an international consortium, will be carrying out this program from its Toulouse site.

Capgemini, the program project manager, has partnered with three companies to provide the European Space Agency (ESA)*** with a comprehensive, pan-European, supervision and control network of communications between ground stations and the control center:

• Honeywell Global Tracking (Canada) for the supply of three satellite ground stations on sites in Maspalomas (Canary Islands), Spitzbergen (Norway) et Larnaca (Cyprus),
• ELTA (a Toulouse company company) for the supply of new-generation distress beacons,
• GÉANT (a UK-based organization) pour the network infrastructure.

As well as improved performance tracking, the system will authorize the sending of a response message to the beacon sending the distress signal, indicating to the person in distress that the signal has been received, which has not been the case up to now.

Galileo is Europe’s satellite navigation system, the equivalent of the US GPS, whose first operating services are expected to be delivered in 2014. Galileo will be equipped with find-and-rescue services integrated as part of the international MEOSAR system, developed by several countries around the world and coordinated by the Cospas-Sarsat system.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini España S.L., part of the Capgemini Group, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, announced recently that it has won a four year agreement with the “Centre for Telecommunications and Information Technology” of the Government of Catalonia for the provision of a new IT governance model.

“The Government of Catalonia joins a growing list of clients benefitting from our broad service integration experience”, notes Francisco Bermúdez, Head of Infrastructure Services at Capgemini Spain. “We will bring that experience to bear to help Generalitat de Catalunya to achieve their strategic objectives. The key to implementing a successful IT strategy is a set of well integrated and managed services delivered as a single, unified, quality service”.

Capgemini will be the service integrator for the Government of Catalonia, as the organization embarks on a project to enhance the role of IT in government and society by centralizing all departments to create efficiencies, improve public services and manage resources effectively providing a better, more transparent and user-friendly service to citizens. The objectives of this project are to ensure proper central coordination, management, quality and performance of the services provided by the Government. The contract consolidates Capgemini’s position as a leading global service integrator and builds on recent successes in North America and the United Kingdom.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Capgemini management changes

Aymar de Lencquesaing, member of the Capgemini Group Executive Committee and Chairman of Prosodie-Capgemini has appointed Nicolas Aidoud as CEO of Prosodie-Capgemini. The 2011 acquisition of Prosodie highlighted Capgemini’s ambition to develop services based on intellectual property and invoiced on a pay-as-you-go basis. Today, the new Prosodie-Capgemini brand proposes “front office” solutions for all of the Group’s global markets.

Newly appointed Nicolas Aidoud said: “I am proud to be taking over as head of Prosodie-Capgemini, whose front-office offers are a perfect match for the Capgemini Group’s strategy to develop new business models. I will be focusing on developing collaboration with the whole Group, and in showcasing Prosodie-Capgemini’s proprietary solutions on the global stage.”

Aged 42, Nicolas holds a Masters in Mathematics from Paris Dauphine University. He first joined Capgemini Consulting, the Capgemini Group’s strategic consulting arm, in 1996, becoming associate director in 2006. In 2006, he was appointed CEO for France of Carat, an independent media consulting and advertising agency. He returned to Capgemini in 2010 to head up the development of new offers. In June 2012, he was given responsibility for Prosodie’s international development.

For Georges Croix, Prosodie’s outgoing Chairman and CEO: “The rationale behind Prosodie’s decision to link-up with the Capgemini Group was complementary offers and market positioning. Our expertise in high value-added cloud services is a strong asset for the Group. I’m sure it will underpin Prosodie’s international growth, while drawing fully on the synergies that will enable it to respond even more effectively to the needs of the Group’s major clients.”

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com        

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology, and outsourcing services, and EMC, the global leader in private, public and hybrid cloud infrastructure technologies,  announced the expansion of their global alliance with a strategic go-to-market agreement to expand operations in Brazil. The two companies have committed to work collaboratively to deliver customer value through the implementation of next-generation cloud solutions. The Capgemini relationship with EMC dates back to 2002 when the companies began offering joint pay-as-you-go storage services. Capgemini has been an EMC Global Alliance Partner since the program’s inception in 2008.

Capgemini has been present in Brazil since the 1970s through its BPO practice and in October 2010 Capgemini acquired a majority stake in CPM Braxis which formed in 2007 as a result of a merger of two Brazilian services providers (CPM, founded in 1982 and Braxis founded in 2006) which became Capgemini Brasil in October 2012 (held through a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cap Gemini SA). Under the new partnership agreement, Capgemini Brasil will continue to serve the Brazil market as a reseller of EMC assets and a member of the EMC Velocity Solution Provider Program.

Responding to the strong demand for cloud-based solutions in Latin America, Capgemini and EMC will deliver a portfolio of end-to-end As-a-Service cloud offerings designed for specific vertical market segments. Working closely with EMC, a new dedicated Integrated Solutions business unit will be operated by Capgemini Brasil to bring these innovative cloud solutions to the Brazilian market providing the needed technological infrastructure expertise.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com   

New Capgemini Report      

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, in partnership with Oracle, recently announced the findings of its global supply chain and logistics management study entitled: ‘From Customer Orders through Fulfillment: Challenges in Manufacturing, High Tech, and Retail ’. The study surveyed almost 600 top supply chain executives in manufacturing, high-tech and retail businesse s worldwide to analyze common fulfillment challenges and areas in need of improvement.

“It’s clear that given the growth of multi-channel complexities, it’s time for industries to consider the impacts that these requirements place on their businesses. Manufacturers should consider following retailers in embracing the new multi-channel reality by evaluating up-sell and cross-sell opportunities across product lines to create a consistent and profitable customer experience across all channels. In order to truly make this work, manufacturers need to consider how to integrate multi-channel requirements throughout their supply chain operations,” said Ben Pivar, Senior Vice President and head of North America Supply Chain Technologies at Capgemini.

Key findings include:

Outsourcing among manufacturers is expected to continue to rise, particularly in transportation, production and
warehousing – just over one third of respondents expect to increase outsourcing of production and warehousing tasks while 46 percent will subcontract more transportation and logistics activities. As well, in terms of future challenges, generally accurately promising dates based on fulfillment planning lead times was the top issue overall. Among retailers the top issue was having visibility to planned inventories to commit. Among hi -tech firms 58 percent of respondents say the top future challenge will be data accuracy while 46 percent say this will be the timeliness of data.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com        

A report released  by Capgemini Consulting, the global strategy and transformation consulting arm of the Capgemini Group, together with GS1, the global standards organization, and The Consumer Goods Forum, the consumer goods industry platform, concludes that wider adoption of standards is key to both supply chain efficiency and meeting new consumer needs. The report, titled: “The Future of Standards in the Consumer Goods & Retail Industry: Cut costs and meet new consumer needs,” calls on the industry to introduce simplified programs to help users embrace and deploy standards while enabling provision of standardized product data to consumers.

According to research by GS1 UK and Cranfield School of Management, barcode adoption saved the UK retail industry £10.5 billion in 2011 alone. Elsewhere, electronic standards have allowed companies to move from manual paper-based processes, with benefits including shortening delivery times by 61 hours on average, cost savings of €12-18 per transaction and 5% fewer out-of-stock situations. Nonetheless, with increasing industry challenges, more is needed to be done to ensure standards can be more widely adopted to help drive progress in the consumer goods and retail industry.

Susan Wood, Principal, Capgemini Consulting North America, said, “Our report shows the urgent need for not only the greater adoption of standards and more consistency in standards implementation, but also improved data, guidelines and governance across the consumer goods and retail sector. This is particularly important due to increasing consumer demands, which are driving the digital transformation needed to improve the shopper all-channel experience.”

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

The sixth annual World Insurance Report 2013 (WIR 2013) released by Capgemini and Efma finds that mobile and social media channels are gaining traction with insurers in terms of early adoption rates. These distribution channels can help insurers provide better customer experiences as well as capture operational efficiencies. The WIR 2013 is based on 16,500 customer surveys, research data from 41 markets, and interviews with 114 insurance executives.

Customer experience reflects the entire customer lifecycle while customer satisfaction is just a one-time measure of how products and services meet or surpass customer expectations according to Capgemini. On average, the WIR finds that approximately only one in three customers across 30 countries studied in the report’s new Customer Experience Index (CEI) had a positive experience with their insurance company, while 62 percent registered positive customer satisfaction levels.

The Capgemini report shows a majority of insurers are viewing mobile as an important access point for supporting the overall customer experience (especially in areas like quotes, claims, and relationship management) rather than just as an additional sales channel.

A majority of insurers are viewing mobile as an important access point for supporting the overall customer experience (especially in areas like quotes, claims, and relationship management) rather than just as an additional sales channel.  And while insurance customers prefer online for activities like finding best price and comparing policy coverage, they still prefer physical distribution networks (agents and brokers) when it comes to gaining brand trust.

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By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com        

The European Space Agency has appointed the Aerospace & Defence division of Capgemini  to implement the ground segment of the Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR) system. Capgemini, as project manager of an international consortium, will be carrying out this program from its Toulouse site.

“The implementation of the ground segment of the Galileo SAR GS allows Capgemini’s Space teams to use their experience gained over 20 years in Search and Rescue systems, as well as integration programs in critical systems.  We are proud and happy to contribute to the development of a project with such technological performance and, most importantly, will save more people in distress,” says Pierre-Jean Mercé, Capgemini’s program manager.

Galileo is Europe’s satellite navigation system, the equivalent of the US GPS, whose first operating services are expected to be delivered in 2014. Galileo will be equipped with find-and-rescue services integrated as part of the international MEOSAR system, developed by several countries around the world and coordinated by the Cospas-Sarsat system.

Capgemini, the program project manager, has partnered with three companies to provide the European Space Agency (ESA)*** with a comprehensive, pan-European, supervision and control network of communications between ground stations and the control center:

• Honeywell Global Tracking (Canada) for the supply of three satellite ground stations on sites in Maspalomas (Canary Islands), Spitzbergen (Norway) et Larnaca (Cyprus),
• ELTA (a Toulouse company company) for the supply of new-generation distress beacons,
• GÉANT (a UK-based organization) pour the network infrastructure.

Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology, and outsourcing services, and EMC, the global leader in private, public and hybrid cloud infrastructure technologies,announced the expansion of their global alliance with a strategic go-to-market agreement to expand operations in Brazil. The two companies have committed to work collaboratively to deliver customer value through the implementation of next-generation cloud solutions.

The integrated cloud-based services will focus on vertical markets including agribusiness and banking and will include:

• Foundational services such as:

1.    SAP as a Service (SAPaaService^®)
2.    Testing Platform as a Service (TPaaService) and,
3.    Enterprise Content Management as a Service (ECMaaS)

• Transformational services including

1.    SAP as a Service (SAPaaService^®)
2.    Testing Platform as a Service (TPaaService) and,
3.    Enterprise Content Management as a Service (ECMaaS)

The Capgemini relationship with EMC dates back to 2002 when the companies began offering joint pay-as-you-go storage services. Capgemini has been an EMC Global Alliance Partner since the program’s inception in 2008. The two companies formed a strategic alliance in 2011, with the aim of driving significant growth through the joint development of next-generation, cloud-based solutions.

Jean-Claude Viollier, Corporate Vice President, Head of Global Channels and Partners, Capgemini comments:
“EMC’s commitment in Capgemini Brasil is a key milestone in the strategic alliance between our companies. As the fourth largest IT services provider in Brazil, we have witnessed a shift in IT spending patterns as our customers here move to a more service-based cloud approach to IT procurement. Through this initiative we will be able to leverage EMC’s market leading technology to drive significant growth through innovative joint IT solutions that deliver exceptional value and help accelerate the cloud-enabled journey for clients in Brazil.”

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, today announced the launch of its new digital transformation offering for Utilities and the digital utilities transformation “User Group Forum”. The service is designed to accelerate the adoption of digital by Utilities, transform the way they interact with and understand customers, and drive efficiencies across their organization internally. The “User Group Forum” will contribute to the innovation cycle by sharing thoughts on vision of the future of Utilities. This will enable customers to have direct access to studies, thought leaderships and technology demonstrations.

A recent study by Capgemini Consulting and the MIT Center for Digital Business* showed that whilst 87 per cent of Utilities believe digital is ‘a key driver of their business performance’, 62 per cent do not believe they are investing enough in digital transformation. By launching its Digital Utilities Transformation offering, Capgemini is focused on bridging this gap and ensuring utilities providers are ready to adapt to the disruptive change digital has initiated within the industry.

Philippe David, Senior Vice President, Utilities Leader for Capgemini Consulting comments: “The importance of digital to internal processes and external customer processes cannot be overstated. There is a significant and measurable performance advantage for those organizations that have a highly developed or mature approach to digital transformation. These high-performing companies — the ‘Digirati’ – outperform their industry competitors on multiple financial metrics. Our Digital Utilities Transformation offering helps these companies embrace digital, and initiate a cultural shift to a new operating level that delivers tangible business results.”

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Direct Line Group has awarded Capgemini UK plc, part of the global Capgemini Group, a five year contract to design, deliver and run a new IT infrastructure to support its business. This involves the migration of Direct Line Group’s corporate and business applications from RBS Group to an independent platform, representing a significant phase of its operational separation. It is estimated that the agreement will provide for the migration away from RBS Group IT infrastructure at a cost of approximately £100 million. Work on the migration will commence in January 2013 and is expected to complete by the end of 2014.

Patrick Nicolet, Global CEO of Capgemini Infrastructure Services and member of the Group Executive Committee, said: “Many companies are increasingly striving to be more agile and flexible and it is clear that Direct Line Group, with its far-sighted transformation plan, is no exception. They do not want IT to inhibit their ambitions, and that is why we aim to provide them with true alignment between business demands and IT resource provision.”

In the UK, Direct Line Group utilises a multi-brand, multi-product and multi-distribution channel business model that covers most major customer segments for personal lines general insurance. The Group also has a focused presence in the commercial market. The Group occupies leading market positions in terms of in-force policies and has the most highly recognised brands in the UK for personal motor and home insurance including Direct Line and Churchill.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology, and outsourcing services, and EMC, the global leader in private, public and hybrid cloud infrastructure technologies, today announced the expansion of their global alliance with a strategic go-to-market agreement to expand operations in Brazil. The two companies have committed to work collaboratively to deliver customer value through the implementation of next-generation cloud solutions.

Capgemini’s relationship with EMC dates back to 2002 when the companies began offering joint pay-as-you-go storage services. Capgemini has been an EMC Global Alliance Partner since the program’s inception in 2008. The two companies formed a strategic alliance in 2011, with the aim of driving significant growth through the joint development of next-generation, cloud-based solutions. This new addition to that alliance extends the strategic partnership of the two companies to leverage their expertise to enable geographic, vertical and emerging markets growth, first in Brazil, before rolling out similar approaches in other markets.

Jean-Claude Viollier, Corporate Vice President, Head of Global Channels and Partners, Capgemini comments:

“EMC’s commitment in Capgemini Brasil is a key milestone in the strategic alliance between our companies. As the fourth largest IT services provider in Brazil, we have witnessed a shift in IT spending patterns as our customers here move to a more service-based cloud approach to IT procurement. Through this initiative we will be able to leverage EMC’s market leading technology to drive significant growth through innovative joint IT solutions that deliver exceptional value and help accelerate the cloud-enabled journey for clients in Brazil.”

In 2010, the Capgemini Group acquired CPM Braxis, which had been successfully operating in Brazil for more than 30 years. Later in 2012 CPM Braxis Capgemini was newly rebranded Capgemini Brasil. Capgemini in Brazil employs 7,800 people and serves over 200 clients, offering four main service lines: Applications Services, Infrastructure Services and Products and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).

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Aymar de Lencquesaing, member of the Capgemini Group Executive Committee and Chairman of Prosodie-Capgemini has appointed Nicolas Aidoud as CEO of Prosodie-Capgemini.

Newly appointed Nicolas Aidoud said: “I am proud to be taking over as head of Prosodie-Capgemini, whose front-office offers are a perfect match for the Capgemini Group’s strategy to develop new business models. I will be focusing on developing collaboration with the whole Group, and in showcasing Prosodie-Capgemini’s proprietary solutions on the global stage.”

The rationale behind Prosodie’s decision to link-up with the Capgemini Group was complementary offers and market positioning. Our expertise in high value-added cloud services is a strong asset for the Group. I’m sure it will underpin Prosodie’s international growth, while drawing fully on the synergies that will enable it to respond even more effectively to the needs of the Group’s major clients.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, today announced the launch of its new digital transformation offering for Utilities and the digital utilities transformation “User Group Forum”. The service is designed to accelerate the adoption of digital by Utilities, transform the way they interact with and understand customers, and drive efficiencies across their organization internally.

A recent study by Capgemini Consulting and the MIT Center for Digital Business* showed that whilst 87 per cent of Utilities believe digital is ‘a key driver of their business performance’, 62 per cent do not believe they are investing enough in digital transformation. By launching its Digital Utilities Transformation offering, Capgemini is focused on bridging this gap and ensuring utilities providers are ready to adapt to the disruptive change digital has initiated within the industry.

Philippe David, Senior Vice President, Utilities Leader for Capgemini Consulting comments: “The importance of digital to internal processes and external customer processes cannot be overstated. There is a significant and measurable performance advantage for those organizations that have a highly developed or mature approach to digital transformation. These high-performing companies — the ‘Digirati’ – outperform their industry competitors on multiple financial metrics. Our Digital Utilities Transformation offering helps these companies embrace digital, and initiate a cultural shift to a new operating level that delivers tangible business results.”

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want.

A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Capgemini one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Supply Chain Excellence Award for the Hi Tech, Communications and Electronics sector for its work in collaboration with Nokia Siemens Networks at The European Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2012 in London. The award is given to organizations in Europe that demonstrate excellence in their supply chain operations.

Ann Schwemler, Global BPO Supply Chain Service Delivery Leader at Capgemini said: “We are delighted to be recognized for Transformational Outsourcing and our Supply Chain Services expertise. We have a rich heritage in providing supply chain services to some of the world’s largest and most complex companies to meet the needs in the ever-changing supply chain landscape.”

Capgemini’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solutions have helped some of the world’s largest, multinational corporations transform their business processes in the areas of Finance & Accounting, Customer Operations, Human Resources, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. With its unique combination of best-in-class processes, industry leading technology and highly skilled talent, Capgemini BPO solutions deliver outcomes that are aligned with the executive agenda. Capgemini employs about 14,000 BPO professionals and provides services to more than 100 clients in 37 languages from an integrated global delivery network of 23 centers located in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, India, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

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Capgemini Government Solutions LLC, recently  announced that it is one of six large business awardees for Functional Category 3 – Independent Test, Validation, Verification, and Evaluation within the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions II (EAGLE II) contract vehicle. EAGLE II is a seven-year, Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) multiple-award contract vehicle to provide information technology solutions through performance of a wide range of support services for the United States federal government.

Capgemini Government Solutions will compete for task orders to provide independent test, validation, verification, and evaluation solutions to validate that all IT products and services meet DHS standards. Capgemini Government Solutions will also compete to provide best practices, technologies, tools, and support for quality and operational assessments, integration testing and system test and evaluation – including security certification and accreditation – for IT systems.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion (approximately $13.5 billion USD). Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore ^®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Direct Line Group has awarded Capgemini  a five year contract to design, deliver and run a new IT infrastructure to support its business.

“Over the last few years we have been transforming the business and we are beginning to see the results. The planned work on our IT infrastructure is a key piece in this jigsaw, as Direct Line Group finalises its separation from RBS Group,” said Paul Geddes, CEO of Direct Line Group.

Direct Line Group is a retail general insurer with leading market positions in the United Kingdom, a strong presence in the direct motor channel in Italy and Germany and a focused position in UK SME commercial insurance. The Group operates under highly recognised brands such as Direct Line and Churchill and is comprised of five primary segments: motor, home, rescue and other personal lines, commercial and international.

The move will provide Direct Line Group with further control over its service delivery to customers and give it greater ability to prioritise and implement business change.

Direct Line Group announced its business transformation plan in 2010 targeting pricing, claims, distribution and operational efficiency. The IT migration will complement Direct Line Group’s business transformation.

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Scottish local authority Fife Council and Capgemini UK plc, part of the Capgemini Group, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, today announced the signing of a major four-year transformational partnership to deliver significant cost savings and efficiency improvements for the council.

Capgemini was selected for the partnership following a six-month procurement exercise involving responses from more than 20 leading national and international companies. The Council says that Capgemini was selected because of its collaborative approach, its experience and understanding of the public sector culture.

‘We aim to deliver important cost savings and efficiency gains to Fife Council – as we have achieved with local authorities in several parts of the UK including London -and therefore improved value for money to the people of Fife who will also gain from streamlined council services, ” said Bill Cook, CEO of Capgemini Consulting UK.

In line with Capgemini’s focus on service integration, a key feature of Capgemini’s proposal is its plan to deploy an ‘ecosystem’ of vendors, using a formula that the company has used successfully with several other UK clients. This approach will enable Fife Council to benefit from the best modern technologies from around the world from a variety of vendors.

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Alstom Grid and Capgemini, have announced the signing of a global alliance agreement to pursue joint commercial opportunities for their combined smart grid solutions. In an increasingly competitive environment, utility customers require more secure and efficient processes and systems to reduce operational, maintenance and capital expenditure, while enhancing customer service. The joint solutions proposed by Alstom Grid and Capgemini address these challenges for distribution utilities.

Together, Alstom Grid and Capgemini, will launch the industry’s first real-time, cloud-based Integrated* Distribution Management Systems (IDMS) and a new cloud-based Demand Response Management System (DRMS). Built on Alstom’s e-terra 3.0 network management software platform, the services provide real-time distribution and demand response system management from a cloud environment to deliver cost savings and increased reliability.

“With Capgemini’s experience in the utilities industry and our proven Managed Business Services framework and “Infrastructure-as-a-Service” offering, utilities can now take advantage of the latest in distribution management applications deployed on state-of-the-art IT infrastructure while minimizing capital investments. Capgemini and Alstom Grid cloud based IDMS and DRMS will offer our customers a secure virtual IT solution with proven Alstom Grid e-terra smart control room solutions,” said Perry Stoneman, Corporate Vice President / Smart Energy Services & Utilities Global Sector Leader.

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Scottish local authority Fife Council and Capgemini UK plc, part of the Capgemini Group, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services,  announced the signing of a major four-year transformational partnership to deliver significant cost savings and efficiency improvements for the council. Capgemini was selected for the partnership following a six-month procurement exercise involving responses from more than 20 leading national and international companies.

The partnership will be led by a joint Partnership Management Board comprising three people each from Fife Council and Capgemini. A shared resourcing model will be deployed, with people from both organizations working together for the partnership to meet the needs of specific projects, and with teams based at the council’s main offices in Glenrothes and at Capgemini offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Work programmes under the partnership will start in January 2013.

‘We aim to deliver important cost savings and efficiency gains to Fife Council – as we have achieved with local authorities in several parts of the UK including London -and therefore improved value for money to the people of Fife who will also gain from streamlined council services,” says  Bill Cook, CEO of Capgemini Consulting UK.

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Direct Line Group has awarded Capgemini UK plc, part of the global Capgemini Group, a five year contract to design, deliver and run a new IT infrastructure to support its business.

Patrick Nicolet, Global CEO of Capgemini Infrastructure Services and member of the Group Executive Committee, said: “Many companies are increasingly striving to be more agile and flexible and it is clear that Direct Line Group, with its far-sighted transformation plan, is no exception. They do not want IT to inhibit their ambitions, and that is why we aim to provide them with true alignment between business demands and IT resource provision.”

The move will provide Direct Line Group with further control over its service delivery to customers and give it greater ability to prioritise and implement business change.Direct Line Group announced its business transformation plan in 2010 targeting pricing, claims, distribution and operational efficiency. The IT migration will complement Direct Line Group’s business transformation.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Capgemini Government Solutions LLC recently announced that it is one of six large business awardees for Functional Category 3 – Independent Test, Validation, Verification, and Evaluation within the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions II (EAGLE II) contract vehicle.

Douglas Charles, chief executive officer, Capgemini Government Solutions, LLC comments:

“We are very pleased DHS has chosen to work with Capgemini to support their mission’s IT programs,” he said.  “The depth and breadth of Capgemini’s Eagle II leadership team, combined with our experience across the IT services landscape, establishes a solid foundation for success. We look forward to building on our long-standing relationship with DHS in support of their mission.”

Capgemini Government Solutions will compete for task orders to provide independent test, validation, verification, and evaluation solutions to validate that all IT products and services meet DHS standards. With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion (approximately $13.5 billion USD). Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore ^®, its worldwide delivery model.

Capgemini Government Solutions is committed to working with government clients to support them in their strategic, tactical and transformation initiatives. Capgemini helps organizations create sustainable value by employing innovative business process improvement strategies and applied solutions that utilize a unique method of engagement: the Collaborative Business Experience (CBE).

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Capgemini,  announced the launch of its new digital transformation offering for Utilities and the digital transformation “User Group Forum”. The service  accelerates the adoption of digital by Utilities, transform the way they interact with and understand customers, and drive efficiencies . The “User Group Forum” contributes to the innovation cycle by sharing thoughts on vision of the future of Utilities. This will enable customers to have direct access to studies, thought leaderships and technology demonstrations.

A recent study by Capgemini Consulting and the MIT Center for Digital Business* showed that whilst 87 per cent of Utilities believe digital is ‘a key driver of their business performance’, 62 per cent do not believe they are investing enough in digital transformation. By launching its Digital Utilities Transformation offering, Capgemini is focused on bridging this gap and ensuring utilities providers are ready to adapt to the disruptive change digital has initiated within the industry

Other results from the research show that while some Utilities are focused on overhauling the customer journey across all external channels, most are under-utilizing customer data analytics to improve targeting, prospects qualification and price optimization. Utilities are also behind the curve in using digital to create a more connected, productive and informed workforce.

The Utilities’ sector has a global reach in North America, South America, Europe and Asia Pacific with 8,400 consultants working in this space. The Utilities sector accounts for 670M€ (7%) of total Group revenues (2011). Digital Transformation by Capgemini is expected to grow at 30 % from 2012 to 2013.

In recent years – while under pressure to reduce costs despite low margins – the realities of grid modernization, a more decentralized approach to energy generation, the more environmentally conscious customer and communities and the explosion of social media have all placed a big burden on Utilities. Today, customers expect instant engagement with their power, gas or water provider, and many seek a more proactive role in managing their connectivity and energy use. Concurrently connected objects in smart energy infrastructures – such as home energy automation, smart grid and smart city – are flooding Utilities with data that their business and operational models are not equipped yet to extract the full value.

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Salil Parekh, CEO for Application Services One* at the Capgemini Group, has appointed Thierry Delaporte as CEO of the global Financial Services Business Unit. Thierry holds a Masters in Law from the Paris La Sorbonne University and a Masters in Political Sciences from L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (SciencesPo Paris). Thierry is of French nationality and is based out of Capgemini’s New York office. Thierry is also Co-founder and President of a Non-Profit Organization (Life Project 4 Youth, Alliance & USA).

“I look forward to leading this outstanding global Business Unit at Capgemini which is viewed as one of the finest jewels of the Capgemini Group. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to continue this growth and expansion and to help Capgemini become the ‘Leader for Leaders’ in the financial services industry, the largest industry sector for IT services companies,” he said.

Thierry Delaporte has had various jobs at Capgemini: he was COO and Head of Sales for Application Services One (2011), CFO for the Global Outsourcing Business Unit (2009-2010), CFO for North America (2005-2008), CFO of Southern Europe (2003-2005), CFO and COO for Australia and New Zealand (2002-2003).

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Direct Line Group has awarded Capgemini UK plc, part of the global Capgemini Group, a five year contract to design, deliver and run a new IT infrastructure to support its business. This involves the migration of Direct Line Group’s corporate and business applications from RBS Group to an independent platform, representing a significant phase of its operational separation. It is estimated that the agreement will provide for the migration away from RBS Group IT infrastructure at a cost of approximately £100 million. Work on the migration will commence in January 2013 and is expected to complete by the end of 2014.

Patrick Nicolet, Global CEO of Capgemini IT Infrastructure Services and member of the Group Executive Committee, said: “Many companies are increasingly striving to be more agile and flexible and it is clear that Direct Line Group, with its far-sighted transformation plan, is no exception. They do not want IT to inhibit their ambitions, and that is why we aim to provide them with true alignment between business demands and IT resource provision.”

Direct Line Group is a retail general insurer with leading market positions in the United Kingdom, a strong presence in the direct motor channel in Italy and Germany and a focused position in UK SME commercial insurance. The Group operates under highly recognised brands such as Direct Line and Churchill and is comprised of five primary segments: motor, home, rescue and other personal lines, commercial and international.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

The post Capgemini : IT Infrastructure Plans appeared first on Big4.com.

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Teradata EPIC award for Collaborative Demand for the second year in a row, at the Teradata Partners Conference in Washington. The award is given to Systems Integrators and Consulting partners who have contributed to the greatest year-overyear order growth for Teradata technology and services, through their demand creation efforts jointly with Teradata teams. Capgemini was also finalist in two other categories: Systems Integrator Business Innovation and Systems Integrator Enterprise Intelligence.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Capgemini has won a Teradata Partner award. In 2009 Capgemini won the Teradata EMEA Systems Integrator Partner of the Year Award for leadership and collaboration in Telecommunications and Financial Services, in addition to the Teradata Innovation Award, in recognition of collaboration with Teradata in France. In 2010, Capgemini received the Teradata Partner Impact Award for Innovation for their role in the joint “Smart Analytics for Utilities” initiative.

“Teradata congratulates Capgemini for its outstanding performance as winner of the EPIC Award for Collaborative Demand. Our joint customers recognize the value of our partnership, and we appreciate the relationship and contribution that they continue to drive in growing customer use of Teradata technology and solutions,” said Bob Fair, executive vice president, global field operations, Teradata.

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‘Business Cloud: The State of Play Shifts Rapidly: Fresh Insights into Cloud Adoption Trends’ reveals that while the Cloud market cannot yet be defined as fully mature, 81 per cent of organizations are using Cloud technologies to some degree and are either maturing or are close to maturity in terms of their Cloud adoption. However, while a third of companies (32 per cent) agree that the IT department is currently the main driver of Cloud adoption, responsibility for driving Cloud adoption is increasingly shifting away from the IT department to the business. Already 45 per cent of all organizations report that individual business units are ultimately responsible for Cloud adoption strategies.

Ron Tolido, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Applications, Continental Europe, Capgemini comments:

“It is safe to conclude that by now the benefits of the Cloud are clear and widely understood. The adoption of Cloud from an enterprise perspective is however set for major change, increasingly taking a truly strategic role in the organization – a phenomenon we call ‘Business Cloud’. The initiative for driving Cloud solutions is shifting from the IT department to the business unit as companies focus more on tangible business value,” he said. “The Cloud has rapidly established a new benchmark in terms of how easy, quick and flexible solutions should be available to the business and it puts the alignment between business and IT in a whole new perspective.”

Faced with concerns around the security, manageability, quality of service and regulatory compliance, companies are proceeding with caution in their adoption of Cloud-based services, taking a step-by-step approach and migrating only specific areas or applications into the Cloud as and when they need to. As they seek to work with specialist providers to support the needs of specific departments or functions, the majority of companies (72 per cent) are working, or planning to work, with more than one vendor.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Supply Chain Excellence Award for the Hi Tech, Communications and Electronics sector for its work in collaboration with Nokia Siemens Networks at The European Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2012 in London.

Ann Schwemler, Global BPO Supply Chain Service Delivery Leader at Capgemini said: “We are delighted to be recognized for Transformational Outsourcing and our Supply Chain Services expertise. We have a rich heritage in providing supply chain services to some of the world’s largest and most complex companies to meet the needs in the ever-changing supply chain landscape.”

This is a joint award that Capgemini has won with Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) as recognition of the significant achievements realized in the ongoing and radical transformation of NSN’s end to end Supply Chain. This transformation project has spanned NSN’s global footprint and displayed Capgemini’s collaborative approach as NSN’s global BPO Partner to streamline processes and achieve significant cost savings.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

Capgemini’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solutions have helped some of the world’s largest, multinational corporations transform their business processes in the areas of Finance & Accounting, Customer Operations, Human Resources, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. With its unique combination of best-in-class processes, industry leading technology and highly skilled talent, Capgemini BPO solutions deliver outcomes that are aligned with the executive agenda. Capgemini employs about 14,000 BPO professionals and provides services to more than 100 clients in 37 languages from an integrated global delivery network of 23 centers located in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, India, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, today announced the launch of its new digital transformation offering for Utilities and the digital utilities transformation “User Group Forum”. The service is designed to accelerate the adoption of digital by Utilities, transform the way they interact with and understand customers, and drive efficiencies across their organization internally. The “User Group Forum” will contribute to the innovation cycle by sharing thoughts on vision of the future of Utilities. This will enable customers to have direct access to studies, thought leaderships and technology demonstrations.

A recent study by Capgemini Consulting and the MIT Center for Digital Business* showed that whilst 87 per cent of Utilities believe digital is ‘a key driver of their business performance’, 62 per cent do not believe they are investing enough in digital transformation. By launching its Digital Utilities Transformation offering, Capgemini is focused on bridging this gap and ensuring utilities providers are ready to adapt to the disruptive change digital has initiated within the industry.

Capgemini’s integrated Digital Utilities Transformation framework enables Utilities to rise to these challenges by assessing their digital maturity, mapping their customers’ cross-channel ‘digital journey’, unlocking and analyzing powerful, actionable data and incorporating digital technologies like mobile and cloud into their enterprise architecture. The service empowers companies to re-engineer their internal processes and external interactions rendering them more efficient, customer centric, flexible and future-proof.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want.

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Jeff Stevenson, president, Varroc Lighting Systems comments after a  $27 million deal was awarded to Capgemini to serve as the global strategic partner for all IT services for U.S.-headquartered Varroc Lighting Systems.

“Building upon the success of Capgemini’s partnership with other automotive manufacturing companies as a trusted application services provider, we are excited to expand our relationship as we continue to invest in technologies and diversify our global operations,”he said. “Capgemini’s distinct experience and proven ability to bring a new IT environment online quickly will help us achieve our goals as we expand our lighting business.”

“Global enterprises today require speed and agility from their partners to quickly monetize their investments,” said Lanny Cohen, chief executive officer, Capgemini US LLC. “By leveraging our market leading global SAP capabilities, along with our experience in automotive manufacturing, we can accelerate the delivery of a quality platform that will help Varroc meets their critical growth objectives.”

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion (approximately $13.5 billion USD). Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Supply Chain Excellence Award for the Hi Tech, Communications and Electronics sector for its work in collaboration with Nokia Siemens Networks at The European Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2012 in London. The award is given to organizations in Europe that demonstrate excellence in their supply chain operations.

Capgemini’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solutions have helped some of the world’s largest, multinational corporations transform their business processes in the areas of Finance & Accounting, Customer Operations, Human Resources, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. With its unique combination of best-in-class processes, industry leading technology and highly skilled talent, Capgemini BPO solutions deliver outcomes that are aligned with the executive agenda. Capgemini employs about 14,000 BPO professionals and provides services to more than 100 clients in 37 languages from an integrated global delivery network of 23 centers located in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, India, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

Ann Schwemler, Global BPO Supply Chain Service Delivery Leader at Capgemini said: “We are delighted to be recognized for Transformational Outsourcing and our Supply Chain Services expertise. We have a rich heritage in providing supply chain services to some of the world’s largest and most complex companies to meet the needs in the ever-changing supply chain landscape.”

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Aiman Ezzat was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer recently.

With nearly 20 years’ experience within Capgemini, Aiman Ezzat has a deep knowledge of the Group’s operations.  He developed a strong working experience of the Group’s main businesses and has worked in many countries, notably the UK and the US where he lived for more than 15 years.

Following the acquisition of the Indo-American IT services company, Kanbay, in 2006, he became leader of the new global financial services unit.  This new unit, with its 20,000 employees of which 60% are based in India, is a precursor of the new industrial and commercial model which is gradually getting extended to a large part of the Group.

Prior to joining Capgemini, Aiman served as Managing Director of International Operations at Headstrong, a global business and technology consultancy, where he worked with financial services clients in Asia, North America and Europe. Aiman was previously Head of the Oil and Chemicals practice of Gemini Consulting where he spent 10 years (Gemini Consulting was the former brand of the strategic and transformation consulting arm of the Capgemini Group, now Capgemini Consulting).

Aiman Ezzat, 51, holds a degree in chemical engineering from Ecole Supérieure de Chimie Physique Electronique de Lyon in France and an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA.

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Varroc Lighting Systems has selected Capgemini to drive new services in support of the company’s growing global operations based upon their industry experience, including Capgemini’s Center of Manufacturing Excellence (CHROME) SAP offering. The Varroc Group has successfully utilized SAP in its India operations for many years, and now Varroc Lighting Systems will expand and leverage this technology platform.

Capgemini’s Automotive practice serves 14 of the world’s 15 largest vehicle manufacturers and 13 of the 17 largest automotive suppliers. More than 3,000 automotive specialists generate value for companies through global delivery capabilities and industry-specific service offerings such as Integrated Lead Management, B2C Web Strategy, Service and Parts Management, Supplier Transformation, Optimization of Dealer-Focused Operations, Electric Vehicles and E-Mobility Services, Application Outsourcing for Automotive OEMs and Global Emerging-Market Sourcing. For more information: www.capgemini.com/automotive.

Lanny Cohen, chief executive officer, Capgemini US LLC comments:

“Global enterprises today require speed and agility from their partners to quickly monetize their investments,” he said. “By leveraging our market leading global SAP capabilities, along with our experience in automotive manufacturing, we can accelerate the delivery of a quality platform that will help Varroc meets their critical growth objectives.”

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The Cap Gemini SA Combined Shareholders’ Meeting of May 24, 2012 authorized in its nineteenth resolution the Board of Directors of the Company to allocate performance shares to employees of the Group up to a maximum of 1.5% of the share capital outstanding at the date of allocation, i.e. 2,426,555 shares.

Meeting on December 12, 2012, the Board of Directors of the Company, chaired by Mr. Paul Hermelin,
considered the application of this resolution and decided, after hearing the report of the Selection and
Compensation Committee, to allocate 1,003,500 performance shares, including 50,000 shares to the
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, after noting that 202,538 performance shares have already been
allocated to employees of Group companies in France (excluding members of Group Management) and set
the terms and conditions for the allocation of the remaining shares.

The number of shares allocated to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer represents 2.06% of the total
amount authorized by the Combined Shareholders’ Meeting and 4.98% of the number of performance shares
allocated by the Board of Directors meeting of December 12, 2012, well below the ceiling defined by the
resolution of May 24, 2012. It is noted that Mr. Paul Hermelin has not been allocated any performance shares
since March 2009 and will be required to hold any vested shares until the end of his term of office.

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Capgemini Consulting, the global strategy and transformation consulting arm of the Capgemini Group, and Badgeville, the #1 gamification and behavior management platform, today announced a partnership to leverage innovative gamification techniques to accelerate digital transformation in major organizations by engaging, rewarding and motivating employees and customers.

Gamification uses techniques pioneered in popular games to drive customer and employee behavior. These techniques blend psychology and technology to help businesses reach key objectives such as increased collaboration, workforce efficiency, and customer loyalty.  Organizations use techniques such as reward systems and achievement levels to allow businesses to change the behavior of both their people and their customers. For instance, a company can integrate gamification techniques to encourage their sales staff to address particular competencies and key performance indicators in the context of CRM processes, such as sales conversion, margin improvement or making follow-up calls to customers; or encouraging staff to provide performance feedback during review processes. Innovative enterprises are also successfully using gamification to win improved customer loyalty and greater interaction with customers on their web and social media channels.

Maggie Buggie, VP of Digital Transformation, Capgemini Consulting, said: “The bringing together of Badgeville’s gamification expertise with our track record in large-scale strategic transformation is very exciting. Large and complex digitally enabled business transformations are often dependent on a significant cultural and behavioral shift, and the use of smartly-applied game mechanics as part of a behavioral change program can tackle that need in an innovative, engaging and meaningful way. Today’s announcement also demonstrates Capgemini Consulting’s commitment to innovation and our leadership in Digital Transformation.”

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Supply Chain Excellence Award for the Hi Tech, Communications and Electronics sector for its work in collaboration with Nokia Siemens Networks at The European Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2012 in London. The award is given to organizations in Europe that demonstrate excellence in their supply chain operations.

Ann Schwemler, Global BPO Supply Chain Service Delivery Leader at Capgemini said: “We are delighted to be recognized for Transformational Outsourcing and our Supply Chain Services expertise. We have a rich heritage in providing supply chain services to some of the world’s largest and most complex companies to meet the needs in the ever-changing supply chain landscape.”

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

Capgemini’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solutions have helped some of the world’s largest, multinational corporations transform their business processes in the areas of Finance & Accounting, Customer Operations, Human Resources, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. With its unique combination of best-in-class processes, industry leading technology and highly skilled talent, Capgemini BPO solutions deliver outcomes that are aligned with the executive agenda. Capgemini employs about 14,000 BPO professionals and provides services to more than 100 clients in 37 languages from an integrated global delivery network of 23 centers located in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, India, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost consulting, technology and outsourcing services providers has been selected by Unilever, one of the world’s leading consumer goods companies, as one of its global Strategic Suppliers under its ‘Partner to Win’* programme. Capgemini has also been awarded a more than €100 million five-year outsourcing contract for Unilever continuing its seven-year relationship delivering Unilever’s Southern Hemisphere Record to Report operations, global intercompany processes, as well as Access Control** and Reporting & Monitoring globally.

Hubert Giraud, CEO for Global Business Process Outsourcing at Capgemini said: “This major contract is a result of two very focused companies demonstrating their ongoing commitment to one another. Capgemini’s ongoing innovation continues to drive value for Unilever. This win is testament to the team’s commitment and our ability to create a winning solution based on process harmonization and above all, a strong strategic partnership. Unilever is clearly a significant customer for us and it’s fantastic to see that view reciprocated. We look forward to continuing our long and successful relationship with Unilever.”

Capgemini’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solutions have helped some of the world’s largest, multinational corporations transform their business processes in the areas of Finance & Accounting, Customer Operations, Human Resources, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. With its unique combination of best-in-class processes, industry leading technology and highly skilled talent, Capgemini BPO solutions deliver outcomes that are aligned with the executive agenda. Capgemini employs about 14,000 BPO professionals and provides services to more than 100 clients in 37 languages from an integrated global delivery network of 23 centers located in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, India, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, announced today that its North America business will provide customers expanded support for delivery of SAP® applications on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. Capgemini has used AWS to launch the Test Drive program for SAP solutions, providing its customers with the ability to quickly and easily launch SAP-solution based environments on AWS and realize the benefits of SAP software on AWS, backed by the depth of Capgemini managed services.

Joe Coyle, vice president and North American chief technology officer, Capgemini comments:

“Our customers realize that to remain competitive in an increasingly dynamic market, they have to be agile, cost-effective and innovative, and we continually strive to provide them with that edge,” he said. “Our relationship with SAP and AWS enables Capgemini to offer customers the enhanced agility and economics of the cloud, providing faster time to value for customers evaluating and deploying SAP solutions.”

The Test Drive program provides customers with access to AWS infrastructure and SAP solutions that are pre-configured, enabling customers to test their capability. Each Test Drive lab includes  complimentary AWS server time and is provisioned to customers in minutes. Customers can quickly evaluate and explore pre-built images of the SAP Afaria® mobile device management solution, the SAP HANA® platform and SAP Business Suite software. Capgemini can then quickly convert this rapid evaluation environment to a customer proof-of-concept for development or test, with an SAP community-based support model. This program will allow Capgemini to help a wide range of firms including larger enterprises, startups and ISVs to evaluate, and in some cases deploy, their SAP applications on AWS infrastructure quickly, while providing customers with enhanced services to operate and monitor the solutions.  This can dramatically reduce the time-to-value and infrastructure costs for customers operating SAP environments

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Supply Chain Excellence Award for the Hi Tech, Communications and Electronics sector for its work in collaboration with Nokia Siemens Networks at The European Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2012 in London. The award is given to organizations in Europe that demonstrate excellence in their supply chain operations.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

This is a joint award that Capgemini has won with Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) as recognition of the significant achievements realized in the ongoing and radical transformation of NSN’s end to end Supply Chain. This transformation project has spanned NSN’s global footprint and displayed Capgemini’s collaborative approach as NSN’s global BPO Partner to streamline processes and achieve significant cost savings.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Supply Chain Excellence Award for the Hi Tech, Communications and Electronics sector for its work in collaboration with Nokia Siemens Networks at The European Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2012 in London. The award is given to organizations in Europe that demonstrate excellence in their supply chain operations.

Capgemini’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solutions have helped some of the world’s largest, multinational corporations transform their business processes in the areas of Finance & Accounting, Customer Operations, Human Resources, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. With its unique combination of best-in-class processes, industry leading technology and highly skilled talent, Capgemini BPO solutions deliver outcomes that are aligned with the executive agenda. Capgemini employs about 14,000 BPO professionals and provides services to more than 100 clients in 37 languages from an integrated global delivery network of 23 centers located in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, India, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

Ann Schwemler, Global BPO Supply Chain Service Delivery Leader at Capgemini said: “We are delighted to be recognized for Transformational Outsourcing and our Supply Chain Services expertise. We have a rich heritage in providing supply chain services to some of the world’s largest and most complex companies to meet the needs in the ever-changing supply chain landscape.”

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Jeff Stevenson, president, Varroc Lighting Systems comments on the news that Varroc Lighting Systems has selected Capgemini to drive new services in support of the company’s growing global operations based upon their industry experience, including Capgemini’s Center of Manufacturing Excellence (CHROME) SAP offering.

Building upon the success of Capgemini’s partnership with other automotive manufacturing companies as a trusted application services provider, we are excited to expand our relationship as we continue to invest in technologies and diversify our global operations,”  he said. “Capgemini’s distinct experience and proven ability to bring a new IT environment online quickly will help us achieve our goals as we expand our lighting business.”

Capgemini will implement and host a new SAP environment until the end of Q2 2013. Capgemini will also provide ongoing Application Management Services (AMS), hosting, help desk support and the resale of SAP licenses and maintenance to support the company’s global footprint.

Capgemini’s Automotive practice serves 14 of the world’s 15 largest vehicle manufacturers and 13 of the 17 largest automotive suppliers. More than 3,000 automotive specialists generate value for companies through global delivery capabilities and industry-specific service offerings such as Integrated Lead Management, B2C Web Strategy, Service and Parts Management, Supplier Transformation, Optimization of Dealer-Focused Operations, Electric Vehicles and E-Mobility Services, Application Outsourcing for Automotive OEMs and Global Emerging-Market Sourcing. For more information: www.capgemini.com/automotive.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Supply Chain Excellence Award for the Hi Tech, Communications and Electronics sector for its work in collaboration with Nokia Siemens Networks at The European Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2012 in London. The award is given to organizations in Europe that demonstrate excellence in their supply chain operations.

“We are delighted to be recognized for Transformational Outsourcing and our Supply Chain Services expertise. We have a rich heritage in providing supply chain services to some of the world’s largest and most complex companies to meet the needs in the ever-changing supply chain landscape,” said Ann Schwemler, Global BPO Supply Chain Service Delivery Leader at Capgemini.

This is a joint award that Capgemini has won with Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) as recognition of the significant achievements realized in the ongoing and radical transformation of NSN’s end to end Supply Chain. This transformation project has spanned NSN’s global footprint and displayed Capgemini’s collaborative approach as NSN’s global BPO Partner to streamline processes and achieve significant cost savings.

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Paul Hermelin, Chairman and CEO of the Capgemini Group, has appointed Aiman Ezzat as Group Chief Financial Officer.  He succeeds Nicolas Dufourcq.  With nearly 20 years’ experience within Capgemini, Aiman Ezzat has a deep knowledge of the Group’s operations.  He developed a strong working experience of the Group’s main businesses and has worked in many countries, notably the UK and the US where he lived for more than 15 years.

During the 2008/2009 financial crisis, Aiman Ezzat has proven, in a very competitive market, his leadership skills by protecting the unit’s profitability. He quickly put it back onto a growth path and led it to a double-digit operating margin.  The financial service sector’s share in the Group’s revenues was thus considerably strengthened since 2006 (growing from 14% to its present 21%).

“I am proud to lead a talented finance team that has contributed, under the leadership of Nicolas Dufourcq, to considerably strengthen Capgemini’s ability to withstand economic fluctuations,” Ezzat says. “With the growth of its portfolio of value added offerings and the accelerated development of offshore, the Group holds a strong competitive position.  I will be devoting all my energy to lead it to a double-digit operating margin.”

Finally, for the 2012 financial year, the Capgemini Group confirms both its objectives for revenues (organic growth in excess of 1%) and profitability (operating margin over 7.5%, in line with the consensus).  For 2013, the Group reiterates its ambition for increased operating margin compared to 2012.  A detailed guidance will be provided when the full-year results are published on February 21, 2013.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, announced today that its North America business will provide customers expanded support for delivery of SAP® applications on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. Capgemini has used AWS to launch the Test Drive program for SAP solutions, providing its customers with the ability to quickly and easily launch SAP-solution based environments on AWS and realize the benefits of SAP software on AWS, backed by the depth of Capgemini managed services.

The Test Drive program provides customers with access to AWS infrastructure and SAP solutions that are pre-configured, enabling customers to test their capability. Each Test Drive lab includes  complimentary AWS server time and is provisioned to customers in minutes. Customers can quickly evaluate and explore pre-built images of the SAP Afaria® mobile device management solution, the SAP HANA® platform and SAP Business Suite software.

Capgemini also announced the creation of an AWS Center of Excellence within Capgemini that will provide enterprise customers with a central source for continued innovation with SAP applications on AWS.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Teradata EPIC award for Collaborative Demand for the second year in a row, at the Teradata Partners Conference in Washington.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Capgemini has won a Teradata Partner award. In 2009 Capgemini won the Teradata EMEA Systems Integrator Partner of the Year Award for leadership and collaboration in Telecommunications and Financial Services, in addition to the Teradata Innovation Award, in recognition of collaboration with Teradata in France. In 2010, Capgemini received the Teradata Partner Impact Award for Innovation for their role in the joint “Smart Analytics for Utilities” initiative.

“We are delighted to be recognized for our close collaboration with Teradata, ranking above other global Systems Integrators in this category. This is testament to our strong global Business Information management Global Service Line and our technology partnership with Teradata across multiple sectors. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with Teradata in the years to come,” said Paul Nannetti, Global Sales and Portfolio Director at Capgemini.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, announced recently that its North America business will provide customers expanded support for delivery of SAP® applications on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform. Capgemini has used AWS to launch the Test Drive program for SAP solutions, providing its customers with the ability to quickly and easily launch SAP-solution based environments on AWS and realize the benefits of SAP software on AWS, backed by the depth of Capgemini managed services.

The Test Drive program provides customers with access to AWS infrastructure and SAP solutions that are pre-configured, enabling customers to test their capability.Capgemini also announced the creation of an AWS Center of Excellence within Capgemini that will provide enterprise customers with a central source for continued innovation with SAP applications on AWS.

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Capgemini’s latest worldwide survey examining the global surge in business Cloud adoption along with its drivers and barriers was the subject of the conversation when Ron Tolido, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Applications, Continental Europe, Capgemini spoke with us at Big4.com recently.

‘Business Cloud: The State of Play Shifts Rapidly: Fresh Insights into Cloud Adoption Trends’ looks at the maturing Cloud market and how although 81 per cent of organizations reporting are already having a Cloud strategy in place, there are still a few issues that need to be resolved.

 Tolido started out by speaking to the fact that although there have been numerous Cloud surveys done recently, Capgemini sought to take an original and fresh approach and once they got the data in, there were three big surprises they hadn’t expected from the results.

Business Involvement

“The first one is quite striking in terms of business in Cloud based decisions,” he told Big4.com going on to say that business involvement is reflected in a higher percentage of budget and other decisions being allocated to the Cloud than previously expected.

“Business is already seeing the benefits of the Cloud and don’t need to be further evangelized,” he said. “The split between the IT departments and business departments is close to 50/50 right now when it comes to Cloud based decisions and budgets, which is much more than we expected.” Presently, forty-five per cent of reporting organizations from the research cite that individual business units are ultimately responsible for Cloud adoption strategies. Tolido said he expected there would be more of a shift toward the business side as time went on.

In contrast, the survey also found there were still persistent doubts about Cloud implementation even though there was a momentum gaining from the business end. Over 40 per cent of those responding to the survey still has misgivings. Tolido acknowledged these uncertainties, calling them “all the usual suspects.”

Security and Integration

“They all have to do with stuff like security legislation, privacy and integration issues,” he told Big4.com adding that the concerns were often the ones mentioned from the IT department. “There still seems to be a remarkable preference for private Cloud scenarios,” he added saying that the economic advantages of the public version of the Cloud will appeal to organizations “sooner or later.”

The report backs up these preferences: 40 per cent of organizations preferred off-premise and partner-hosted private Cloud solutions and 26 per cent opted for on-premise private Cloud solutions.

Default Part of Enterprise

The third specific area of interest was the fact ‘Business Cloud: The State of Play Shifts Rapidly: Fresh Insights into Cloud Adoption Trends’ pointed out new companies looked to the Cloud as a default and integral part of their enterprise, just as much as existing companies turn to the cloud to support new, ‘edge’ business activities.

“This is a pointer for companies that want to explore the benefits of the Cloud but don’t know where to start,” Tolido said. On the other hand, while the Cloud seems to be driving new business activities, migrating existing systems seem to have a much lower priority for those organizations that already have an infrastructure in place.

Tolido also noted the research was very clear about the benefits of using the Cloud for businesses’ data storage needs.

“According to our research the most striking benefit is cost effectiveness,” he said. “I think both the business and IT sides would agree on this. It all has to do with economies of scale and making better use of the resources you have.”

Flexibility, scalability, speed to market and simplicity were some of the other benefits he mentioned.

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Serving a number of leading players in the country, in addition to the unit in the southern region, Capgemini Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) counts on another office in Campinas, Sao Paulo employing a total of 1,100 team members. It expects to reach 3,000 BPO employees in Brazil by 2015.  The company has announced it has set up a new office for Business Process Outsourcing in Blumenau, Santa Catarina in Brazil. The new center is part of the company’s strategy to significantly expand its Brazilian operations. The company has already opened its doors employing 400 professionals (with the capacity to expand to 1,200) to support major clients such as Algar.

Aiming to expand its Brazilian BPO operations significantly, Capgemini is a member of Associação Brasileira de Provedores de Serviços de Apoio Administrativo (ABRAPSA), and holds a Strategy Director role. “We are working hard to show the value of Business Process Outsourcing in the country”, says Cerqueira.

Capgemini provides extensive global BPO solutions for the execution of business processes in Finance and Human Resources, as well as Procurement and Supply Chain.

Capgemini’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) solutions have helped some of the world’s largest, multinational corporations transform their business processes in the areas of Finance & Accounting, Customer Operations, Human Resources, Procurement and Supply Chain Management. With its unique combination of best-in-class processes, industry leading technology and highly skilled talent, Capgemini BPO solutions deliver outcomes that are aligned with the executive agenda. Capgemini employs about 14,000 BPO professionals and provides services to more than 100 clients in 37 languages from an integrated global delivery network of 23 centers located in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, India, Poland, Sweden and the United States

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Capgemini Consulting, the global strategy and transformation consulting arm of the Capgemini Group, and Badgeville, the #1 gamification and behavior management platform, recently announced a partnership to leverage innovative gamification techniques to accelerate digital transformation in major organizations by engaging, rewarding and motivating employees and customers.Gamification uses techniques pioneered in popular games to drive customer and employee behavior.

“Capgemini Consulting has demonstrated through this partnership that it is dedicated to helping clients with their digital transition to modern, social enterprises; this is one of the values with which our companies are in perfect alignment. Our partnership will enable us to reach new clients across the globe who are not yet mature in using gamification and behavior management as a strategic advantage for their business. We believe gamification will form a big part of the people dimension of digital transformation,” said Kris Duggan, CEO, Badgeville.

Behavioral change is key to accelerating large-scale digital transformation according to research from Capgemini Consulting and the MIT Center for Digital Business. Their recent study of over 400 companies worldwide — The Digital Advantage: How digital leaders outperform their peers in every industry — found that digital leaders (the “Digirati”) invest significantly in the soft side of digital transformation. The Digirati build and share a digital vision, engage the workforce in understanding the vision, and ensure ownership and accountability of the transformation. Gamification offers a creative and innovative way to foster collaboration and secure engagement around strategic priorities.

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With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore^®, its worldwide delivery model.

In accordance with the decision of the Board of Directors of Cap Gemini SA held on July  25, 2012, taken by virtue of the authorization granted by the Combined Shareholders’ Meeting on May 24 2012, the company has concluded today a share purchase agreement with an authorized financial intermediary, whereby the financial intermediary undertakes to sell, and the company undertakes to acquire, a number of shares corresponding to a maximum amount of € 30 million over a period starting November 22, 2012 and ending no later than December 21, 2012.

The price of the shares purchased by the company will be calculated on the basis of the arithmetic average of the daily volume-weighted average price of Cap Gemini shares over the acquisition period*, after applying a discount. The maximum purchase price agreed does not exceed the limit authorized by the Combined Shareholders’ Meeting on May 24, 2012.

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Capgemini  has announced it has set up a new office for Business Process Outsourcing in Blumenau, Santa Catarina in Brazil. The new center is part of the company’s strategy to significantly expand its Brazilian operations. The company has already opened its doors employing 400 professionals (with the capacity to expand to 1,200) to support major clients such as Algar.

“Together with the Campinas office, the new unit will allow us to serve our customers throughout the globe, with the intent to generate significant value to them. The Vale do Itajaí region provides a large pool of talent, since it is home to many universities and offers a high quality workforce,” says Roberto Cerqueira, Capgemini BPO Vice President, says Santa Catarina.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore^®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Senior Vice President Bob Scott has been appointed  as the new Group Director of Marketing, effective from November.

Bob’s most well known marketing contribution is the “Rightshore^®” concept which is now at the heart of the Group and is used to describe Capgemini’s global delivery model. It was a term which Bob first used back in 2003, to describe the right mix of location, resources and skills to offer the optimum solution for customers.

He began his career at British Coal, following a Mining Engineering Trainee programme, before moving into providing external consultancy for the NHS, Department for Social Services and Export Credits (ECGD). Bob holds a Bachelors degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Nottingham and an MSc in Operational Research from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Bob Scott is British and has been with the Capgemini Group for over 20 years having joined Hoskyns a leading IT services company in the UK, in an outsourcing deal in 1992. He has worked in numerous parts of the organization from Consulting to Applications and Outsourcing, including roles such as Head of e-Business and CRM, Head of Offer Development for Outsourcing Services and Head of Public Sector Outsourcing.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has announced that it has won the Teradata EPIC award for Collaborative Demand for the second year in a row, at the Teradata Partners Conference in Washington.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Capgemini has won a Teradata Partner award. In 2009 Capgemini won the Teradata EMEA Systems Integrator Partner of the Year Award for leadership and collaboration in Telecommunications and Financial Services, in addition to the Teradata Innovation Award, in recognition of collaboration with Teradata in France. In 2010, Capgemini received the Teradata Partner Impact Award for Innovation for their role in the joint “Smart Analytics for Utilities” initiative.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, today announced the findings of a worldwide survey examining the global uptake of enterprise Cloud and its key drivers and barriers. The report, ‘Business Cloud: The State of Play Shifts Rapidly: Fresh Insights into Cloud Adoption Trends’ reveals that while the Cloud market cannot yet be defined as fully mature, 81 per cent of organizations are using Cloud technologies to some degree and are either maturing or are close to maturity in terms of their Cloud adoption.

However, migration to the Cloud is being impacted by persistent concerns around Cloud adoption, with over 40 per cent of respondents citing continued fears around security as an impediment to the uptake of Cloud and only 56 per cent saying they trust the Cloud for storing data. Over a third (35 per cent) also cited issues with data sovereignty around the physical location of data stored in the Cloud as a key barrier to adoption, particularly in EMEA. As a result, the report highlights still a preference for private Cloud solutions: 40 per cent of organizations cited their preference for off-premise and partner-hosted private Cloud solutions and a further 26 per cent cited a preference for on-premise private Cloud solutions.

Faced with concerns around the security, manageability, quality of service and regulatory compliance, companies are proceeding with caution in their adoption of Cloud-based services, taking a step-by-step approach and migrating only specific areas or applications into the Cloud as and when they need to. As they seek to work with specialist providers to support the needs of specific departments or functions, the majority of companies (72 per cent) are working, or planning to work, with more than one vendor.

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In Britain, a scandal is brewing over the effective tax rates paid by Accenture and Capgemini on their UK operations. In recent years, both firms have paid between 1 and 3.5 per cent in taxes on their profits on British operations, despite a standard tax rate for corporations of 25 per cent in the country.

In 2011, Accenture paid £2.8 million ($4.48 million) in taxes on profits of £82 million. Accenture also paid no taxes in 2009 and 2010, then the company experienced £180 million in profits.

Accenture has several accounts with the United Kingdom, and provides the country’s HM Revenue & Customs office with technical support and computer systems support. Among its contracts with the HM R&C, Accenture has a £9.6 million contract with the department to provide technical support.

Capgemini paid £308,000 in taxes on £38 million in profits in 2011, and is the lead firm on the HM R&C’s Aspire contract, an £8 billion project designed to improve the IT infrastructure and collections abilities of the UK government.

Speaking on the findings, Margaret Hodge, a Member of Parliament and Chairwoman of the Public Accounts Committee for the UK Government, said: “It is absolutely absurd if HMRC are doing business with companies that are not paying their fair share of tax.”

While Capgemini has not responded to the findings, an Accenture spokesperson has been quoted as saying, “Accenture pays tax in accordance with the tax legislation of each country in which it operates.”

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In accordance with the decision of the Board of Directors of Cap Gemini SA held on July  25, 2012, taken by virtue of the authorization granted by the Combined Shareholders’ Meeting on May 24 2012, the company has concluded today a share purchase agreement with an authorized financial intermediary, whereby the financial intermediary undertakes to sell, and the company undertakes to acquire, a number of shares corresponding to a maximum amount of € 30 million over a period starting November 22, 2012 and ending no later than December 21, 2012.

With more than 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore^®, its worldwide delivery model.

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Senior Vice President Bob Scott, has been appointed the new Group Director of Marketing, effective from November. Bob Scott is British and has been with the Capgemini Group for over 20 years having joined Hoskyns a leading IT services company in the UK, in an outsourcing deal in 1992. He has worked in numerous parts of the organization from Consulting to Applications and Outsourcing, including roles such as Head of e-Business and CRM, Head of Offer Development for Outsourcing Services and Head of Public Sector Outsourcing.

Bob’s most well known marketing contribution is the “Rightshore^®” concept which is now at the heart of the Group and is used to describe Capgemini’s global delivery model. It was a term which Bob first used back in 2003, to describe the right mix of location, resources and skills to offer the optimum solution for customers.

Bob holds a Bachelors degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Nottingham and an MSc in Operational Research from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

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The Capgemini Group, has launched its first book in the PointZERO® series, which describes Capgemini and Sogeti’s joint vision for the development and maintenance of business applications.

The book also outlines how in today’s digital age most organizations increasingly communicate and transact with their customers and other stakeholders online or via mobile devices, the business consequences and reputational risk from disfunctional software has never been greater.

The PointZERO Vision refers to doing things right from the very first moment in the project, the point zero. In every activity of the application lifecycle, software defects can be traced or even prevented, resulting in shorter development cycles – and as a direct consequence, lower costs. Significant cost savings can be achieved without having to compromise on the level of business functionality, scalability or agility by applying existing testing best practices such as TMap® a structured test management approach developed by Sogeti.

The PointZERO® Vision book is a first in a series of books on the development and maintenance of business applications. The next book to be published will take a closer look at the concept of “Quality Supervision”.

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Capgemini recently announced that it has launched a unique service to help organizations manage their governance, risk management and compliance (GRC).

The  new offering aims to provide a holistic approach so that GRC activity is no longer fragmented but instead provides an integrated, centralized and uniform view. It approaches enterprise risk management by providing a set of process-based services, enabling the right technology and providing measurable outcomes via a GRC Control Center which provides a hub for driving uniform compliance and pro-active risk assessment across multiple geographies and multiple functional areas (access control, finance & accounting, legal & regulatory, tax compliance, operational and IT), without duplication of efforts.

Traditional approaches to governance, risk and compliance are no longer sufficient as organizations grapple with increased transparency, rapidly changing regulation, increasing legislation, the explosion in data and technology and increasing information security challenges. Internally enterprises are struggling with limited resources, organizational silos, rising costs of compliance audits, lack of fact-based risk assessment and a project-based approach which limits global standardization and visibility, and inhibits a common view of risk and compliance.

“Clearly, the demand from regulators, ratings agencies, shareholders and customers for greater transparency is rising,” says Christopher Stancombe, Senior Vice President, Finance & Accounting for Business Process Outsourcing at Capgemini. “Moreover, governance, risk and compliance is increasingly becoming a C-level topic, as recent high-profile cases have shown that reputational damage from compliance failures can have serious financial implications. We are delighted to launch this new offer which intends to provide CFOs, CIOs, COOs and CEOs with a unified view of risk management and compliance across their business.”

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Capgemini recently announced  six million shares offered to its employees as part of its second global employee-shareholding plan were fully subscribed. This successful operation following a previous one in 2009 – which is a sign of confidence among the Group’s employees in the future of Capgemini – results in a significant increase in employee ownership of Group capital, which reached almost 7% on September 27 compared with 3.4% on December 31, 2011: employees thus become one of the major shareholders of the Group.  It is also testament to the evolution of the Group’s geographical activities, with subscribers including those from two new countries: Brazil and Guatemala.

“The objective of this employee-shareholding plan was to associate, over the long-term, the greatest number of employees with the company’s development and performance, while stabilizing our capital.  We now rank among the top CAC 40 companies in terms of employee shareholding,” said Paul Hermelin, Capgemini Chairman and CEO .

The six million newly-issued shares were subscribed at a price of 25.76 euros and carry rights to dividends distributed in respect of the period as from January 1, 2012. The corresponding capital increase, carried out on September 27, rises to 154.56 million euros and brings the number of shares comprising Capgemini’s share capital to 161,770,362 on January 1, 2012.

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Capgemini today announced it has been awarded three Learning Excellence Awards by the Brandon Hall Group.The Brandon Hall Group Excellence award is a prestigious global awards program. Currently in its 18th year, the awards include several categories that cover functional areas that are responsible for driving performance within an organization. Every year several companies vie for these awards which are often called the ‘Academy Awards’ by Learning, Talent and Business Executives. The award submissions are judged by eminent people from the industry.

Capgemini Italy won Gold for the ‘Best Use of Blended Learning’ and Capgemini University, part of the Capgemini Group, won Silver for ‘Best Use of Mobile Learning’ for the Capgemini Consulting Sales Program and Bronze for ‘Best in Compliance training’ for the Capgemini Confidentiality Training Program.

Capgemini University
First established in 1987, Capgemini University offers training to all its employees worldwide through its three international Centers of Excellence (Les Fontaines, near Paris; Hyderabad in India, and Chicago in the United States), but also through its e-learning program, „MyLearning‟ set up in 2004. Capgemini University plays a key role in developing team skills and capabilities in line with the company’s strategy, priorities and client expectations. It provides training both in-house and from external providers and creates innovative learning methods that facilitate and develop community networking.
For more information please visit: www.capgemini.com/about/our_people/learning_development/group_university/

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Capgemini recently announced it was the  recipient of the Salesforce.com Partner Innovation Award for Marketing by salesforce.com. The award was presented at Dreamforce 2012, the world’s largest vendor technology conference in San Francisco.

Salil Parekh, Chief Executive Officer of Application Services One1 and the global executive sponsor for salesforce.com at Capgemini commented:

“We are delighted to win this award for innovation. It is testament to our ongoing work with salesforce.com to help empower customers to market new products faster across traditional, online, mobile and social channels, while reducing costs through cloud technology.”

Touring Club Suisse (TCS) is the largest mobility association of Switzerland with more than 1.6 million members, providing roadside assistance and a wide range of services from travel to insurance. TCS faced the challenge of implementing a “one face to the customer” strategy ensuring a 360-degree view of their customers. The company also wanted to simplify and modernize its IT environment to enable better time to market, reduce costs and move resources away from operating technology and towards projects and business consulting. Capgemini rebuilt the information system on cloud solutions from salesforce.com to help improve customer service, call center efficiency and customer experience on multiple channels.

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

Capgemini’s Chief Financial Officer, Nicolas Dufourcq, announced that he will be stepping down from his role this week. Dufourcq said he will be accepting a position with France’s new public investing bank. The new state owned bank is committed to stimulating economic growth throughout the region by lending to small and medium sized businesses. Jean Pierre Joyet, head of the new bank, said he chose to hire Dufourcq for his commendable reputation in the financial industry.

Shares initially dropped more than 4% when news of Dufourcq’s departure was first released. Prices rebounded later in the day, but investors are concerned about the future of the company. Capgemini CEO Paul Hermelin has assured investors that they are in the process of looking for a new CFO. The firm intends to hire a new executive to fill the position in November.

Despite Hermelin’s assurances, investors remain cautious about the news. Dufourqc was renowned as one of the best financial executives in France. He helped the firm maintain financial growth in spite of the European debt crisis. They are skeptical that a new CFO will be able to help Capgemini achieve growth in the coming years.

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The Women’s forum Global Meeting is an internationally renowned knowledge platform for new thinking and new global networks featuring women’s voices and perspectives. It is also the ideal place to promote this initiative to Directors and C-Level executive. According to PlaNet Finance as many as 500 million micro-entrepreneurs are currently struggling to finance and develop their projects. Eighty percent of these are women.

Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, outsourcing and IT services, and its subsidiary Sogeti recently took part in  the latest edition of the Women’s Forum  in Deauville, France October 10 to 12. Capgemini and Sogeti  highlighted their digital micro-credit platform launched in partnership with MicroWorld last February.

The digital platform used by Capgemini and Sogeti employees was demoed in the Capgemini stand during Women’s Forum, to inspire other organizations to support micro-entrepreneurs through their employees. In addition, Khady Mbaye, a Senegalese micro-entrepreneur came to share her experience telling how it improved the everyday life of her family. She created a craft shop in Dakar through this initiative where she sells jewelries, handbags, accessories she manufactures herself or purchased from local craftsman.

With around 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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The World Payments Report (WPR*) 2012 released recently by Capgemini, RBS, and Efma shows that debit cards continue to gain market share from credit cards, and the use of electronic and mobile payments continues to show exponential growth.

As more consumers embrace electronic, mobile and debit card payments, industry innovation will continue to focus heavily on these payment methods. According to industry analysts, there were an estimated 28.3 billion electronic and mobile payment transactions globally** in 2011, and in 2010 more than one in three non-cash payments globally was made using a debit card, up 15.2 percent, according to the report. But with only 2.1 percent of all mobile users making m-payments, the potential for additional growth is still huge, with mobile payments set to reach 17 billion by 2013 and e-payments 31.4 billion by 2013.

The report also shows that the real payment innovators are organizations with a granular understanding of the needs of their target customer segments, as well as their own capability to innovate. The WPR cites Japanese telecommunications organization NTT DOCOMO, which has succeeded in quickly growing to create a critical mass of 35 million registered users (or half the market) with its “Mobile Wallet”. Mobile Wallet, or Osaifu-Keitai in Japanese (as known locally), is a proximity payments instrument enabled through compliant mobile phones, with services going beyond just NFC payments and including: electronic money, identity card, loyalty card, public transport ticketing (includes railways, buses, and airplanes), and credit card. By using open standards, building on existing payment instruments (such as credit cards) and considering loyalty programs and CRM services for merchants, the program has proven successful over the past eight years.

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

A new global study from Capgemini, RBS and Efma has found that more consumers are using debit cards in lieu of credit cards. The study was published in World Payments Report.

Experts in the financial industry have noticed that customers have started showing a preference for debit cards in recent years. They are an easy way to avoid using cash and don’t come with the fees associated with most credit cards.

The number of transactions involving debit cards has increased by more than 15% over the past year. Approximately a third of all noncash payments are made with debit card today. Credit cards remain the preferred method of cashless transactions, but debit cards may surpass them in the next couple of years.

Global banks are trying to determine the payment preferences of their customers and respond accordingly. They will be implementing new practices to increase customer satisfaction. In addition, they are forced to respond to a number of new regulations that could curtail development of some payment processing technologies. Many companies are developing more innovative solutions to help their customers make payments more quickly and conveniently.

This may force them to develop new solutions or encourage more of their customers to use one means of payment over another.

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Six million shares offered to Capgemini employees as part of a second global employee-shareholding plan were fully subscribed recently. Paul Hermelin, Capgemini Chairman and CEO commented:

“The objective of this employee-shareholding plan was to associate, over the long-term, the greatest number of employees with the company’s development and performance, while stabilizing our capital.  We now rank among the top CAC 40 companies in terms of employee shareholding,” he said.

This successful operation following a previous one in 2009 – which is a sign of confidence among the Group’s employees in the future of Capgemini – results in a significant increase in employee ownership of Group capital, which reached almost 7% on September 27 compared with 3.4% on December 31, 2011: employees thus become one of the major shareholders of the Group.  It is also testament to the evolution of the Group’s geographical activities, with subscribers including those from two new countries: Brazil and Guatemala.

With around 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.
Learn more about us at www.capgemini.com

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Capgemini’s Oracle Fusion CRM solution – SWIFT CRM (Structured Way of Implementing Fusion Led Transformation for Customer Relationship Management), has been launched. In addition to being a partner, Capgemini is one of the first Oracle Fusion CRM Cloud Service customers in the Netherlands and Germany. SWIFT CRM will be launched globally via a phased roll-out across other countries in Europe, US, Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

“We are delighted to be one of the major global systems integrators helping bring Oracle Fusion CRM to market. One of our key priorities is to improve the all-channel experience for customers by helping businesses improve their customer service,” says Connie Cservenyak, Capgemini Global Oracle Partner Executive.

Since 1995, Capgemini has collaborated globally with Oracle to help its customers take advantage of cuttingedge technology. Capgemini achieved Diamond level status in Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) in June 2011 and in October 2011 Capgemini was named Oracle PartnerNetwork Global Applications Partner of the Year. Capgemini’s global Oracle practice counts over 13,000 Oracle specialists worldwide with more than 5,000 successful Oracle engagements.

Capgemini will also leverage its CRM and Digital Transformation expertise via its consulting practice. It will help businesses implement Oracle Fusion CRM either on-premise, in the Oracle Cloud, in a private cloud or in a hybrid model depending on their needs.

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The Asia-Pacific Wealth Report 2012 released recently by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management shows Asia-Pacific’s healthy gross domestic product (GDP) growth and strong base of entrepreneurship helped the region overtake North America as home to the largest population of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) in the world. China and India, the emerging giants from Asia-Pacific, were key contributors to Asia-Pacific’s wealth picture with GDP growth of 9.2 percent and 6.9 percent respectively in 2011, which were low rates by historical standards, but still better than other major economies.

Entrepreneurship remains a major wealth driver in Asia-Pacific, accounting for more than half* of the HNWI wealth in Asia-Pacific. Entrepreneurs are heavily involved in a variety of industries in the region, including automobile, healthcare, IT, and manufacturing, which have contributed to HNWI expansion, though growth in 2011 was constrained by global economic challenges. The report predicts that industries aimed at improving society’s wealth, such as financial services, education, healthcare, and value-added manufacturing, will lead the next wave of HNWI wealth.

Jean Lassignardie, Corporate Vice President, Capgemini Global Financial Services comments:

“Asia-Pacific will likely continue to face domestic challenges such as high inflation and global factors such as the weak economy in Europe,” he said. “However, the diverse nature of Asia-Pacific exports and economies means the outlook for the region as a whole remains strong.”

The Asia-Pacific Wealth Report, now in its seventh year, is a product of Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management working to better understand the needs of the high net worth marketplace.  Accounting for 91.5 percent of the region’s gross domestic product, the report focuses on 10 core countries and territories:  Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. To download the full report, please visit www.capgemini.com/apwr12.

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

A new study from Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management has shown that the number of millionaires in Asia Pacific grew by nearly 2 percent in 2011. The study claimed that the growth is largely due to unprecedented growth in Asia’s economies. Experts from RBC and Capgemini also found that Asian citizens are taking a more entrepreneurial career path.

The report shows that Asia is becoming an increasingly important player in the global economy. Wealthy citizens from western nations have watched their fortunes drop considerably due to economic uncertainties in Europe and a stagnant global economy. Asian economies are growing substantially in spite of the growing challenges in the other half of the world.

Although the report highlights the bright futures for many Asian economies, it is a better indicator of the state of entrepreneurship in the region. Citizens with established wealth experienced a decline in the value of their portfolios. The prospects for Asian entrepreneurs appears to have brightened as many of them are making their ways to the higher tiers of society. However, citizens with a net worth exceeding $5 million contracted over the course of 2011. This has shown that Asia isn’t isolated from the global economic crisis.

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

A new report from Capgemini UK claims that businesses should consider the benefits of optimizing their sites for mobile sales during the holidays. According to new research, about 20% of online sales during the holidays will be conducted through a mobile device.

Capgemini experts said that this trend has happened much faster than they could have expected. During the second quarter of this year, mobile devices accounted for just over 10% of all online sales. That share is expected to double by the end of the year.

Chris Webster is the vice president of consumer products at Capgemini. Webster said that this will be the decade that mobile devices become a critical centerpiece of digital sales. Businesses who fail to acknowledge that will be missing out this holiday season. Many businesses have not optimized their websites for mobile users. Fewer than half of the 100 largest brands in the country targeted mobile users.

Sites that have invested in optimizing their sites for mobile devices have realized a strong return on their investment. Consumers visiting these sites spent nearly twice as long visiting them and engaged on them more actively. Those consumers also looked at 33% more pages of content than those who visited sites that were not optimized for mobile devices.

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The fourth annual World Quality Report has been released. It reveals that organizations are struggling to manage the challenges of the mobile era, with only one-third (31 percent) of those surveyed currently formally testing their mobile applications. Where organizations are conducting mobile Quality Assurance (QA), they are primarily focused on performance (64 percent) and functionality (48 percent), with a mere 18 percent of organizations focusing on security.

The report also highlights the impact of cloud computing on testing and QA. Almost a quarter of the applications (22 percent) of the firms surveyed are now being hosted in the cloud, which is expected to rise to one-third (32 percent) by 2015. As a result, testing in the cloud is expanding significantly as QA professionals become more comfortable with the cloud as a testing platform. And while more than a quarter (28 percent) of testing now occurs in a cloud environment, the report shows this is forecast to increase to 39 percent by 2015. With just 4 percent of companies expecting not to use cloud technologies for QA over the next three years, compared with 31 percent just two years ago, the perceived benefits of cloud-based QA clearly outweigh the pitfalls.

The majority of respondents (53 percent) also expect their QA budgets to rise by 2015, with just one-fifth (18 percent) forecast to fall. The World Quality Report 2012-2013 is the fourth in a series of annual surveys examining the state of application quality and testing practises across industries and geographies. Since 2009, the Capgemini Group and HP have published the annual report to provide insight into the latest trends in application quality, methodologies, tools, and processes.

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Deloitte has ranked fifth on the 2013 Vault Consulting 50 Firm Rankings, and is just one of two Big4 firms to make the top 10.

Last year, Deloitte was ranked fourth, but was knocked down by Booz & Company, which shot up to fourth place. Bain & Company was ranked best consulting firm again, after taking the top spot in 2012. McKinsey & Company was ranked second, and the Boston Consulting Group was ranked third.

PwC also joined the ranks of the top ten, ranking 8th on the list, while Accenture fell to 19th place.

Deloitte was also ranked fifth for prestige, but 17th for diversity, despite several efforts to prioritize diversity in the company’s hiring, promotion, and retention activities. In 2012, Deloitte had ranked 10th for diversity. Along with PwC (ranking 19th), Deloitte is the only Big4 firm to make the top 20 for diversity.

In addition to being ranked first for consulting, Bain & Company was also ranked first for diversity, but lost the top spot for prestige to McKinsey (1st) and The Boston Consulting Group (second).

Deloitte was the most  most prestigious Big4 firm, at 5th on the list, closely followed by PwC, Ernst & Young, and Accenture, which took the 6th, 7th, and 8th rankings respectively. KPMG rose three spots to 11th while Capgemini remained unchanged at 16th.

The Vault Consulting 50 is an annual ranking of the best consulting firms to work for, and is compiled by measuring firm prestige, worker satisfaction, firm culture, compensation, work-life balance, business outlook, and promotion policies.

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

Capgemini launched a global apprenticeship programme last year to support the mayor of London’s Apprenticeship program. The apprenticeship programme is carried out over the course of five years. The company took on 34 apprentices two months after the programme was first announced. A Capgemini spokesperson has stated that the initiative has been well received and the firm expects to add additional apprentices in the coming months.

Capgemini is offering apprenticeships at various locations throughout the UK. Many candidates have shown an interest in these positions, however they must be willing to travel throughout the country to satisfy the requirements of the clients they are serving.

Capgemini intends to more than double the number of apprentices it has on staff by September and November. Apprentices will be needed with expertise in a variety of sectors, including project management, software engineering and network administration.

Apprentices will be able to take advantage of Capgemini’s continuing education opportunities. Those working towards a part-time bachelors of science in computer programming or another relevant industry can receive tuition assistance.

Once an apprentice completes the programme successfully they are eligible for a full-time position at Capgemini. Capgemini said that the programme offers opportunities that candidates are unlikely to find in any other firm.

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

Capgemini has reportedly signed contracts with several of the largest councils in London. The technology solutions provider will provide IT services to nearly 2 million people working with these firms.

The councils include Barking & Dagenham and Havering. Capgemini will need to put a considerable amount of work into developing new IT infrastructures for its six new clients. However, these councils all have similar support structures, which will make it easier for Capgemini to implement a new solution.

One of the challenges Capgemini faces is developing a uniform architecture that will be shared by the councils. They are all using an Oracle Resource Planning software. However, they aren’t all using the same models, which makes it difficult for them to coordinate with each other or share resources.

Capgemini might be able to develop a single solution and customize it for each of their individual processes. Mike Suarez, the director of financial services for Lambeth, said he hopes all firms can use a single system to streamline the process.

This solution will enable them to save money and improve the way they do business with their customers. Many people are looking for real-time services, which Capgemini will provide.

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A global report examining the changing nature of shoppers’ retail preferences as they continue to tap into the rapid innovation of traditional and digital channels has been released. The report, entitled “Digital Shopper Relevancy”, surveyed 16,000 digital shoppers across 16 developing and mature markets  and demonstrated that shoppers are not loyal to one channel but expect a seamless integration across online, social media, mobile and physical stores.

The Internet remains the dominant channel. Websites are the most important for digital shoppers across the end-to-end shopping journey in developing and mature countries, with 80 percent of respondents in developing markets stating the internet was important or very important and with 63 percent in mature markets. This is closely followed by e-mail interaction. However, channels such as social media, mobile apps and in-store kiosks are growing in popularity as alternative retail channels.

The study highlighted that 56 percent of respondents are likely to spend more money at a physical store if they had used digital channels to research the product prior to purchase, however 73 percent of respondents also expect online prices to be lower than those in physical stores. As well, 61 percent of respondents said they want online stores to remember their personal shopper history to speed up shopping, however only 41 percent would want to be identified through smartphones when entering a physical store.

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Capgemini is a world leading European IT services company with a strong foothold in the Chinese market. With its China headquarters in Shanghai, Capgemini employs 2300 professionals in China and has offices operating in several major cities including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The company has been ranked as part of the “Top 10 Global Service Providers in China” for the second year running. The award was presented by the China Council for International Investment Promotion (CCIIP) at The Fifth China International Service Outsourcing Cooperation Conference in Nanjing, China.

The Conference to award the “2012 Leading Outsourcing Services and Growing Companies for China” was attended by leaders from the China Commerce department from the Jiangsu province and from 21 other Chinese cities. Miao Gengshu, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Zhang Weiguo, Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province, and Ji Jianye, Mayor of Nanjing, were present.

With around 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Right shore®, its worldwide delivery model.
Learn more about us at www.capgemini.com

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Capgemini announced “solid” performance in the first half of 2012, with bookins up 7.6 per cent and revenue up over 8 per cent.

In total, the company announced that revenues had gone up to over 5.1 billion euros ($6.3 billion) for the first half of 2012. The company’s operating margin also climbed to 6.4%, up from 6.1% for the same era last year.

While citing “macro-economic uncertainties” that remain a concern both for Capgemini and its clients, the firm said that it was pleased with the results and cited the quality of the firm’s services as a reason for its growth.

Chairman and CEO Paul Hermelin said in a press release that the firm’s focus on premium services was a contributing factor to the success. “Despite a listless macro-economic context, we have enjoyed a solid first half-year; the quality of bookings, in particular, demonstrates that the strategy to refocus our portfolio on high value-added services is bearing fruit. In the second half of the year, the Group is more than ever mobilized to meet our clients’ needs, with innovative offerings focused essentially on cloud computing, mobility, Big Data and solutions,” he said in a statement.

The company also announced that it had tremendous growth in North America, which saw revenues grow by 19.7%. This was exceeded only by the Asia Pacific region, which saw growth of 19.8% and a 1.8% growth in the firm’s operating margin.

Despite continued problems in the firm’s home region, revenue in France grew by 7.4% while UK and Ireland revenues grew by 8.3%.

In total, the firm has 121,026 employees, and the number of hired staff grew by 6% in the last year. Most of those new hires were in India, where 37,000 are employed. That accounts for 38% of the firm’s headcount.

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The accounts of Capgemini Group for the first half of 2012 were released today and the highlights include:

Bookings in the first half of the year totaled €5,113 million. In Q2 2012 alone, bookings increased 7.6% period-on-period, confirming the resistance of demand. This quarter was marked by dynamic activity in the Outsourcing Services business, which reported a 21.4% increase in bookings. In addition, for the Consulting Services, Technology Services and Local Professional Services (Sogeti) businesses, the book-to-bill ratio was 1.09 for the half-year and 1.16 for Q2 alone.

Despite the macro-economic uncertainties that still remain in the majority of countries, Capgemini is well placed to exceed its initial objective of approximately nil annual organic growth and is now aiming for like-for-like growth in excess of 1% for the year as a whole. Furthermore, the Group confirms its objective of an increase in the operating margin in line with the general consensus over the whole year.

In addition, the Group plans to buyback shares in the minimum amount of €100 million over the next 12 months, in order to neutralize all or part of the dilution generated by the issue of new shares under the international share ownership plan.

North America enjoyed excellent performance, both in terms of growth and profitability. Revenues surged 19.7% (9.7% like-for-like). The region also continues to improve its operating margin rate, which reached 8.7%, double the level reported in the first half of 2010. Technology Services reported the highest growth in the Group, with revenues increasing 4.8% (like-for-like). The operating margin rate is 6.7%, up 0.9 points on the first half of 2011, primarily driven by improved profitability in North America.

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Capgemini announced it has been ranked in the top ten in The 2012 Global Outsourcing 100 by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals® (IAOP®). The 2012 Global Outsourcing 100 and The World’s Best Outsourcing Advisors recognizes the world’s best outsourcing service providers and advisors. These rankings are based on applications received and evaluated by an independent judging panel organized by IAOP. All applicants are evaluated on factors including revenues, customer outcomes, capabilities, relationship management approaches and management talent and experience.

The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals® (IAOP®) is in its seventh year of compiling its annual ranking of the world’s best outsourcing service providers and advisors.

R. Arun Kumar, Global Advisor Relations Head and Strategic Global Sales Head for the Application Services Unit at Capgemini commented:

“The global sourcing industry is going through some key strategic shifts in the areas of technology modernization, sourcing models and cost arbitrage,” he said “This ranking in the Top 10 recognizes Capgemini as a leader in helping customers, with its differentiated approach towards global outsourcing services across Applications, Infrastructure and Business Processes.”

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

A new study from Capgemini found that consumers are no longer looking to utilize a single distribution and marketing channel to make their purchases. Capgemini’s Digital Shopper Relevancy report concludes that businesses will need to find a more seamless approach to integrating brick and mortar retail, social media and online sales models. The firm interviewed more than 16,000 consumers in nearly 20 different countries.

A study from Retail times predicts that the boundaries between these channels will begin to blur within the next two years. However, businesses have need to start reforming their structure and policies before these changes can be made.

Most businesses communicate their branding messages very differently through their various channels. As consumers choose to expose themselves to multiple channels, they are becoming confused about the core message of the companies.

The importance of developing a single communication medium to relay all messages is going to be even more important in the coming years. More developing markets are beginning to use digital media to make purchases or research companies they intend to do business with. The Digital Shopper Relevancy said that businesses will need to focus on a single message as consumers in those markets are exposed to multiple channels.

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If you have drunk the kool aid and already know how your business will benefit from this mobility gold rush, need not read any further.

For the rest of us, especially those who see how this is different but still scratching their heads about what it means for their day to day business, where their business benefits lie and indeed, where they can start off to grab the low hanging fruits… you know why you are still reading J

As someone who has spent more than a decade helping organizations setup business processes around technology platforms, I was honestly less –than-impressed till recently about the whole Mobility gold rush. So, the geeks have a new technology and churning out buzz words (BYOD, MDM et al) to sound smarter on their twitter accounts, right?

Well, having been off the mark about viability of other technology waves (google is just another search engine! facebook is valued at what? Social is for kids, not businesses), this time reaching for the humble pie before writing off the Mobility Kool aid maybe more fulfilling.

So quest for getting what is this Enterprise Mobility and more specifically, what can it do for my business begins. Lets take a look at this one step at a time. Of course, mobile or not, the business senses have stayed the same :

What has evolved substantially over the years has been the way businesses have tried to connect with individuals. Call it B2B/ B2C/ B2E/ B2G or whatever, the pace of evolution on individuals side has outpaced that of the business side. Lot of it was accelerated by sheer innovation from Apple Inc, who were just disrupting the individual technology landscape as an annual KPI. Increasingly, these devices were catering, even extending the capabilities of 5 basic human senses.

As we speak today, we are able to touch, talk, see, listen thru these devices. iPhone was the first device which probably stepped into intuitively figure out what a user wants, thus expanding into catering to the sixth human sense, ie, intuition . Recently, Google’s Android has also developed capability to intuitively suggest to users things they may wish.

Over a period, the chasm between Business technology and how it connected with individual tech became so wide that something like an arab spring was on cards if that gap was unfulfilled.

Final straw in this Business to Individual gap (lets just call it B2i gap, encompassing all of B2B/ B2C/ B2E) was around 2010, when Apple launched the iPad. Since then the autocratic business organizations realized that to avoid an arab spring of revolt, they will need to support individuality.

By then, not only devices but also UI, way of interaction, collaboration message exchanges and overall experience had gone thru a paradigm shift. From Transaction based systems to interaction oriented experience.

So, what’s next? Technology evolution is kind of risky field to do crystal ball gazing, but we suggest that as long as businesses take a “sense” able approach we all should be on safe ground.

Connect the dots of business drivers / senses with the those on “i” side and ask yourself these basic questions:

• What is the quantified benefit for my business with Mobility adoption (specify revenue accretion / cost reduction)?
• What will it cost me over short term (low hanging fruits), medium term and long term?
• What are the risks in such a fast paced evolutionary market (anyone remember Nokia/ RIM) and how they will be mitigated.

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Capgemini recently signed a contract for the provision of IT services from India. Bayer Business Services is the global competence center for IT and business services of the Bayer group, a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials, headquartered in Germany. The contract includes global application development and services, as well as infrastructure services including service management and will run over a period of five years.

During an intensive tender process Capgemini was selected as sole provider out of a range of Indian and global competitors due to its ability to provide a strong solution for offshore services in India through its Rightshore® delivery model, together with a holistic HR solution and its industrialization and rationalization approach.

The contract includes global application development and services, as well as infrastructure services including service management and will run over a period of five years. Under the terms of the contract Capgemini will take over the operations of Bayer Business Services’ captive IT service center in Mumbai, India, with approx 550 employees. The contract was signed between the legal entities Capgemini Deutschland GmbH and Bayer Business Services GmbH.

“We were looking for a strategic partner for our IT service center in Mumbai with a similar cultural fit and values. Capgemini had a convincing offer through its broad portfolio, its strong presence in Mumbai and its sustainable HR transformation solution,” says Daniel Hartert CEO of Bayer Business Services

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Oracle has recognized Capgemini as a partner delivering rapid implementation offerings for Oracle Fusion HCM. Capgemini has made substantial contributions to the development and testing of Oracle Fusion Applications and Oracle Fusion Middleware. After having been selected for the Fusion Applications Beta program in 2009, Capgemini developed a unique Oracle Fusion Co-Existence Roadmap to help customers maximize Oracle’s business value and optimize architecture in preparation for the delivery of Oracle Fusion Applications.

“Capgemini has already made significant investment in Oracle Fusion Applications. The company is already positioned to engage and deliver successful Oracle Fusion Applications implementations, be it standalone, upgrade, or co-existence with any other Oracle Applications,” says Gretchen Alarcon, vice president, Oracle HCM Strategy.

With around 120,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2011 global revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

Connie Cservenyak, Capgemini Global Oracle Partner Executive also commented:

“Our SWIFT HCM methodology offers a unique solution which leverages Capgemini’s deep HCM process knowledge and the advanced functionalities of Oracle Fusion Applications to help customers looking to modernize their HCM applications and processes.”

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

Capgemini published two interesting reports this week. One report found that the number of Asian millionaires increased by nearly 1.6% in 2011. However, another report found that the number of rich citizens in India dropped sharply.

Capgemini found that the number of rich Indians fell 18% over the past year. There seem to be a number of reasons why India isn’t faring as well as India. For one thing, India has not been reforming its economy in the same way as China, Malaysia and other countries in Asia. This could mean that fewer entrepreneurs and capitalists are increasing their wealth.

Another possibility is that India is more dependent on developments in the global economy. As the United States economy shows signs of contracting and the Eurozone debt crisis continues to grow more uncertain, Indian investors are paying the price. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raised these concerns at the G20 summit in Mexico earlier this week. Singh said the Eurozone debt crisis is hurting Indian investors.

China and other Asian countries are heavily focused on developing their domestic economies. The global economic crisis is taking the heaviest toll on nations that are heavily attached to the global economy.

The post Capgemini: Number of Wealthy Indians Drops in 2011 appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

A new report from Capgemini found that Asian millionaires outnumbered those in North America in 2011. This was the first time in history this was observed. The aftermath of the Great Recession and a stronger Asian economy has started to shift wealth away from Western countries.

The number of citizens in Asia Pacific with a net worth exceeding $1 million grew by 1.6%, while the number of millionaires in North America contracted by nearly the same amount. Many experts were surprised by Capgemini’s findings, but Gay Mitchell, chairman of a Canadian wealth management firm, said the results were to be expected.

The eurozone crisis has driven financial markets down throughout the world. However, many Asian investors and entrepreneurs have isolated themselves from the aftermath of the western debt crisis. Their local economies are growing, which has helped them grow their wealth in spite of lingering global challenges.

While economies around the world continue to struggle in face of one of the toughest economic slowdowns of the past century, emerging markets are faring much better than those in developed nations. However, there is no assurance that the crises in the United States and Europe won’t eventually impact economies in the Pacific.

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By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

Information technology is playing an increasingly important role in business. However, a study from Capgemini found that business leaders fail to utilize big data into their strategic framework.

Capgemini summarized the findings of a recent survey of 607 respondents. The study found that businesses were transitioning away from decision making models that relied on intuition and knowledge from prior experiences. Businesses are focusing more on making key decisions based on hard data.

The financial industry considers data one of its most important assets. As polices become increasingly complex, financial businesses need to invest in acquiring data to ensure they are adhering to regulatory requirements.

However, a number of sectors are not living up to the standards needed to integrate big data into their organization. Capgemini argued that is particularly true at higher levels of many organizations.

Although businesses are not integrating big data into their corporate models as well as Capgemini feels is necessary, they are still implementing it in the organization. Large executives are using it as they make key decisions. However, they are using data as a supplementary aid to making decisions. Intuition continues to play a leading role in decision making, but data is starting to become more important.

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Have you come to hate the word “networking?” Join the club. Dozens of books on the subject encourage us to frenetically “ping” dozens of people each day—perhaps leaving messages on their voice mail after hours so we don’t actually have to chat with them. We are told to go to networking events, talk with everyone on the airplane, and hand out business cards to any willing recipient. All of this advice ignores the fact that most professionals need to spend a lot of their time building a small group of trusted relationships. It also makes it sound as if we just invented the idea of relationship-building to get ahead. Hardly. Benjamin Franklin is a fascinating case in point.

In 1721, the printer James Franklin launched a newspaper called the New England Courant. One morning, to his delight, a well-crafted, humorous letter appeared under his door written by “Silence Dogood” – a pseudonym, unknown to James, adopted by his sixteen-year-old brother Benjamin.

Whereas James made direct attacks on public figures in his articles and editorials, Silence Dogood used prodding humor and irony to satirize everything from Harvard University to Boston politicians. A few months later, James was arrested and jailed. He left Benjamin, at the age of a typical tenth-grader today, as the editor and publisher of the Courant.

Ben Franklin had learned his lesson: Humor and indirect questioning produced many friends and few enemies, while drawing attention to the important issues.  This was only one of many qualities that made Franklin a master at building relationships. It might not have been so. As biographer H.W. Brands writes in The First American, “Genius is prone to producing envy. Yet it was part of Franklin’s genius that he produced far less than his share, due to an unusual ability to disarm those disposed to envy.” He adds that Franklin, “learned to deflect credit for some of his most important inventions. He avoided arguments altogether. Laughing, his opponents listened and were persuaded.”

Another quality that endeared Franklin to everyone who came into contact with him was his focus on ideas and relationships rather than money. Some of us may think of Franklin as he prototypical American capitalist, and while he was an enormously successful businessman, making money was never his primary objective. In 1740, for example, Franklin invented the free-standing wood stove – then called the “Pennsylvania fireplace,” today known as the Franklin stove. The governor of Pennsylvania offered Franklin the exclusive rights to sell his new fireplace in the province, an arrangement that would have made Franklin a very wealthy man, but he refused. “That as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others,” he wrote, “we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.”

Franklin exemplified the consummate relationship builder. He knew how smart he was but rarely let it show. He had many of the answers but preferred to ask provocative questions. Although he quickly discerned others’ faults, he allowed them to discover them for themselves through his humor and indirect approach. He was one of the most knowledgeable men on the planet, but his insatiable curiosity and zest for learning new things never flagged.

Not a bad approach for building client relationships in the twenty-first century.

What kind of relationship-building activities really work well for you? And what personal qualities do you find most likeable and endearing in others? 

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Andrew Sobel helps companies and individuals build clients for life. Andrew was a Senior Vice President and Country Chief Executive for Gemini Consulting (15 years). He is the co-author of the newly-released Power Questions as well as the author of the business bestsellers Clients for Life, Making Rain, and All for One. He can be reached at www.andrewsobel.com, where you can download a free set of Power Tools to help you get better at asking Power Questions.

The post Are You Tired of “Networking?” Meet Benjamin Franklin appeared first on Big4.com.

Caixa is the 4th largest bank in Brazil by total assets and the largest public bank in Latin America. Founded in 1861 and based in Brasilia, Caixa, a government financial institution, provides banking products and services in Brazil. Caixa is also a key partner of the Government in social programs. It plans to leverage CPM Braxis Capgemini’s IT services to modernize its IT systems in order to provide more state of the art services to its customers.

The bank recently signed agreements with CPM Braxis Capgemini, Capgemini’s 61% owned Brazilian IT services company, to buy a 22% stake in that company through the simultaneous purchase of shares from existing shareholders and the subscription to a capital increase.The move would make CPM Braxis Capgemini  a preferred IT supplier to Caixa Economica Federal (Caixa) for the next 10 years.  The consummation of the transaction remains subject to the approval by the Brazilian antitrust authorities and the Central Bank of Brasil and is expected to close in the coming months.

Under the terms of the transaction, CaixaPar, Caixa’s wholly owned investment arm, will acquire a 22% stake in CPM Braxis Capgemini through the purchase of shares from existing shareholders and the subscription to a capital increase. CaixaPar will thus become the second largest shareholder in CPM Braxis Capgemini, with significant governance rights.

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A Capgemini study of over 1,000 Senior Business and IT decision makers including CEOs and CIOs worldwide reveals that in the current economic climate, business process management is increasingly viewed as a C-level concern, as companies look internally to improve their margins, efficiency and productivity. In challenging times, executives believe that Business Process Management* (BPM) can help deliver the costsavings that are crucial to maintaining healthy margins

“Increasingly Inside-Out pressures for enterprises such as cost and efficiency are being counterbalanced by Outside-In pressures to be more flexible, compliant and customer centric,” says Bob Scott, Head of Capgemini’s Business Process Management Global Service Line.  “Clearly BPM has reached a tipping point. Forwardthinking organizations will be increasingly focused on it and leveraging its new technologies, while companies that don’t engage with it risk being left behind.”

But while many organizations are realizing the importance of process management, there are still improvements to be made. One concern is the lack of understanding as to who should hold the reins over budget for BPM. The survey reveals financial management of BPM is split between IT (16 per cent), senior business management (18 per cent), operations (13 per cent), business units (13 per cent) and dedicated process management units (12 per cent), which could ultimately undermine its effectiveness. Outcomes are also varied with only one in five companies (18 per cent) saying that they have achieved process optimization and a third (32 per cent) are failing to formally measure the ROI of their process management effectively. The majority (55 per cent) highlight that the key barrier is that people are working in silos across organizations, preventing collaboration.

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By Andrew Sobel, Big4.com Guest Blogger 

It has happened and will happen to every professional who deals with clients: something goes wrong or your client gets upset about something you’ve done or said. Here are eight tips for dealing with an unhappy client and starting the process of resolution:

1. Respond rapidly. If a client is unhappy, deal with it immediately. Your willingness to drop what you’re doing to urgently discuss your client’s concerns will by itself improve the situation.
2. Listen without being defensive. When someone is upset, emotions are like facts. Listen deeply, and thank your client for sharing their concerns with you.
3. Say you’re sorry. Even if you think the blame is equally spread, apologizing can help to defuse the situation and begin a new dialog. It’s hard to keep kicking someone when they apologize to you.
4. Collaborate on the solution. Don’t jump too quickly to a solution (“We’ll put a new project manager in immediately…”). Involve your client in developing it, and only do so after thoroughly understanding all of their concerns and the actual circumstances.
5. Offer amends. If in fact you have fallen short in some way, it can help to restore trust if you offer amends, e.g., doing a small piece of value-added work for the client, or reducing an invoice.
6. Avoid excuses. It’s very natural to want to explain to the client all the reasons why you are not completely at fault, and why they may share some of the blame. But save that for later—if ever.
7. Rebuild trust through small, frequent, confidence-building measures. When trust is lost, you must increase transparency and communication, and show you can deliver on small, discrete, agreed-upon follow-up steps.
8. Get things out into the open. When negative emotions are kept in the dark, they fester and grow. When you get them out into the light of day, they shrink and often disappear. This is illustrated in the opening stanza of William Blake’s famous poem, A Poison Tree:

A Poison Tree

by William Blake (1757-1827)

I was angry with my friend:

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

I was angry with my foe;

I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Remember, a crisis that is successfully navigated can often strengthen your relationship with the other person.

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Andrew Sobel helps companies and individuals build their clients for life. Andrew was a Senior Vice President and Country Chief Executive for Gemini Consulting (15 years). He is the co-author of the newly-released Power Questions as well as the author of the business bestsellers Clients for Life, Making Rain, and All for One. He can be reached at www.andrewsobel.com, where you can download a free set of Power Tools to help you get better at asking Power Questions.

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A new Capgemini study of over 1,000 Senior Business and IT decision makers  including CEOs and CIOs worldwide reveals that in the current economic climate, business process management is increasingly viewed as a C-level concern, as companies look internally to improve their margins, efficiency and productivity.

Executives believe that Business Process Management(BPM) can help deliver the cost-savings rucial to maintaining healthy margins. In fact, over 60 per cent of participants from the study believe BPM should be managed directly by the executive board.

“Increasingly Inside-Out pressures for enterprises such as cost and efficiency are being counterbalanced by Outside-In pressures to be more flexible, compliant and customer centric,” said Bob Scott, Head of Capgemini’s Business Process Management Global Service Line. ” BPM is fast becoming a crucial part of the Business Applications landscape across all sectors.”

However,while many organizations are realizing the importance of process management, improvements still need to be made. One concern is the lack of understanding as to who should hold the reins over budget for BPM. The survey reveals financial management of BPM is split between IT (16 per cent), senior business management (18 per cent), operations (13 per cent), business units (13 per cent) and dedicated process management units (12 per cent), which could ultimately undermine its effectiveness.

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Capgemini and Efma recently released the ninth annual World Retail Banking Report  that indicates customer retention is in flux and nine percent of customers are likely to leave their banks in the next six months while 40 percent are unsure they’ll stay long term.

Quality of service (53 percent), fees, (50 percent), ease of use (49 percent) and interest rates (49 percent) represent the biggest impact areas that banks need to address.

Jean Lassignardie, Global Head of Sales and Marketing, Capgemini Financial Services comments on the findings:

“Banks should be applauded for taking the necessary, initial steps to sustain customer relationships,” he says. “However, as more non-bank competitors enter the market, banks must differentiate by building innovative products, improving channel management and service, and enhancing their mobile offerings.”

One of the possible business models designed to solve the issue  are  the Product leaders who possess superior skills in developing, bundling, and pricing products, while also managing customer risk but are less concerned about the quantity of new customers acquired. They offer a mix of optimally priced products, taking into account product demand, as well as a customer’s risk profile, potential profitability and lifetime value.

Another option cited is the Utilities/processors who excel in cost-effective transaction processing and operate their internal systems at optimum transaction speeds and capacity levels, allowing them to scale to meet future processing needs, locally, regionally or globally.

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By Andrew Sobel, Big4.com Guest Blogger

Sometimes it can feel like buyers have the upper hand. They have many service providers to choose from. Everyone calls on them and aggressively pitches for their business. How can you be viewed as a peer, as someone who has something valuable to offer, rather than a commodity vendor? Thoughtful power questions can help you earn greater respect immediately.

To begin with, your behavior and demeanor at the outset have to telegraph that you consider yourself a peer. The scene in The King’s Speech where the speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffry Rush) meets the future king Prince Albert (Colin Firth) is a wonderful illustration of the importance of this. When Prince Albert tells Logue to address him as your Majesty, Logue shoots back, “I shall call you Bertie,” which is the Prince’s childhood nickname. Prince Albert is outraged, but he acquiesces. Logue’s point is that for therapy to work, they must be equals. So skip the “Oh, thank you so very much for meeting me, I know how valuable your time is and how busy you are!” Walk in as a peer, an equal.

Psychologically, you want to put yourself on the same side of the table as your potential client. Consider these questions to help you do that:

1. “I view this as a chance for us to get to know each other and understand each other’s business—and, potentially, to identify an issue of mutual interest where I could add value to your business. From your perspective, what would be the best way for us to use this time?” On the surface, this seems like a deferential question. But it actually has the effect of making the client come up with their own reasons for having a conversation with you. You set a very broad agenda, and then you turn it over to them.

2. “I’m curious about what in particular interested you in meeting with me?” This could come across as a somewhat cheeky question, but when asked at the right moment it can create very powerful “reach” on the part of your client. It can shift a client from sitting back and commanding “OK, impress me” to leaning forward and asking, “Can you tell me about yourself and how you think you could help me?”

3. “You’ve defined a coaching program as the solution here, but in my experience there are other interventions that may possibly work better. Can you talk about the underlying goals you’re trying to achieve” Challenging the client’s definition of the problem and the solution is not only the right thing to do, but it quickly puts you on even footing with them.

4. Who would made the final decision on a project like this? Who would the ultimate executive sponsor be?” This may seem like a very basic question about the client’s decision-making process, but actually it’s more than that. It shows confidence. It demonstrates organizational savvy. And it communicates that you’re not just an order-taker. A follow-up question might then be, “Can you organize a meeting between the two of us?” This establishes you as someone who doesn’t just take orders (in both senses of the phrase!) from feasibility buyers.

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Andrew Sobel helps companies and individuals build their clients for life. Andrew was a Senior Vice President and Country Chief Executive for Gemini Consulting (15 years). He is the co-author of the newly-released Power Questions as well as the author of the business bestsellers Clients for Life, Making Rain, and All for One. He can be reached at www.andrewsobel.com, where you can download a free set of Power Tools to help you get better at asking Power Questions.

The post How to Build a Peer Relationship When Selling to a Prospect appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

Capgemini was founded in Grenoble, France in 1967. For the past 45 years, the global IT provider has been headquartered in France. However, the firm could be relocating many of its employees to the Eastern Hemisphere as early as 2015.

The new manager of Capgemini has recently spoken with Rajesh Padmanabhan, head of human resources in India. The two discussed the future of Capgemini in India. At this time, 36,208 employees are based in the country. That is a nearly gargantuan increase from the 250 employees who first came to India at the beginning of the century.

According to representatives from Capgemini Global, India is a prime location to base many of its operations out of. It will reduce operational costs and enable the firm to take advantage of other opportunities that are not feasible in France or other European countries. Indian communities tend to be much smaller cities, but they are also highly technologically advanced.

Padmanabhan said that the Indian department is proud of the number of new employees it has hosted over the past decade. However, he is even more excited about the future growth. According to Padmanabhan, over half of Capgemini employees are expected to be based in India within the next three years.

Padmanabhan and the other human resources staff believe Capgemini India will face some amazing opportunities once they become the centerpiece of the firm’s global operations.

The post Indian Business Leaders Expect More Capgemini Employees appeared first on Big4.com.

The CEO of a $12 billion company summed it up neatly when he told me, “When someone walks into my office and is trying to market to me or sell something, I can always tell how experienced they are by the quality of the questions they ask.”

A good power question helps you uncover a prospect’s most urgent needs. It cuts through the noise and gets right to the heart of the issue. It uncovers higher-level goals and aspirations. It shows, in the most convincing way possible, that you’re thoughtful and smart.

When you first meet with a potential client, you must establish your credibility and understand their goals. Our natural tendency is to do this by telling—by describing our company, our services, and the uniqueness of what we do. That’s boring.

The best way to build trust in your competence is to ask credibility-building questions.  These are questions that implicitly demonstrate your experience while encouraging the client to talk about their issues. This is what the CEO was talking about.

It requires good upfront research and planning to develop strong, credibility-building questions. Your questions will vary based on your particular client and industry, but they should sound like these:

• “How are you reacting to the new reporting requirements [i.e., to a trend or a new regulation]? Several of my largest clients have taken a wait-and-see attitude, but others are already conducting in-depth assessments…”
• “Your CEO’s speech to last month’s industry conference certainly put a stake in the ground in terms of your international growth aspirations…how is this going to impact your talent acquisition and development efforts?

A credibility-boosting question, in short, explores the client’s issues while demonstrating your knowledge, experience, and preparation for the meeting.

A second essential objective with a prospect is to understand their issues—what I call their agenda. Every executive has an agenda of three to five critical business goals or priorities. Your job is to explore, understand, and add value to this agenda. One of the most direct agenda-sensing questions is, “How will you be evaluated at the end of the year by your leadership? What metrics will be used?”

A second type of agenda-uncovering question focuses on why. Clients often specify a particular intervention—“We need a training program” or, “We need coaching.” When they do, you must ask “Why?”: “Why have you decided that?” If you ask this, even four or five times, you will expose the underlying need or goal. By expanding the conversation you will expand the potential engagement.

Other agenda-setting questions could include:

• “Where will your future growth come from?”
• “How will you decide whether or not to…(make an important decision)”
• “What organizational or operational capabilities do you need to strengthen in order to support your future strategy?”
• “Who or what could be a disruptor in your business?”
• “As you think about the future of your business, what are you most excited about? What are you most concerned about?”

Remember, one of the important ways you add value in a first meeting is by being thought provoking and helping your prospect think differently about his or her issues. Good questions are a great way to do this.

***************

Andrew Sobel was a Senior Vice President and Country Chief Executive for Gemini Consulting (15 years). He writes about building long-term client relationships, and is the author of four business bestsellers including Power Questions, All for One, and Clients for Life. www.andrewsobel.com.

The post Use Power Questions to Engage with Prospects appeared first on Big4.com.

Ready. Set. Jump!

Attention Big 4 talent!

Your star is on the rise. The market for talent is heating up the most we’ve seen in the past three years. Whether you’re in public accounting or private industry, your experience, skills and qualifications are being viewed as increasingly in demand and desirable.

Opportunities are being created, either by increased budgets, revenue growth, or simple old fashioned turnover. And turnover there is – even the most cautious & risk averse CPA’s are dipping their toes back in the pool.                                                                                                    

What does this mean? Increased opportunity and visibility, better compensation (hallelujah to that!) and the validation of an economy who’s engine is just starting  to hum.

If you’ve been thinking about what’s next on your career ladder, now may be the time to start thinking about leveraging your skills and value. If you’ve been out of the game for a while, fairly new to it or not sure where and how to begin, here are a few suggestions.

Update your resume – I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but I’m often surprised at how often I ask for one and it’s not .  Doing so is a great start for multiple reasons. First, it’s the initial step of doing something to start the process. And by listing your accomplishments, responsibilities and goals it re-familiarizes you with YOU! Compiling, then seeing your experience in black and white is clarifying.

Secondly, when that perfect opportunity comes your way, you’re ready to respond. Keeping a current resume available means you’re not scrambling to remember years of  detail, projects and dates. You can tweak it for specific opportunities or update it every time you’ve accomplished/added something new in your current position.

With Social Media and so many job boards, it’s easy to tap into the existing job market. If you’re well employed and passive, a well networked and completed Linked In profile will get you noticed. Being well connected and active in  your circles will expose you to trends and leads. Know who the reputable recruiters are in your demographics and sector and connect with them.

It’s a great time to consider the next step in your career – be prepared, be aware and venture out a little.  Opportunity is calling.

Cindy Cremona, CPC has over twenty years experience as an Executive Recruiter. Her main focus is in Accounting and Finance, primarily placing senior level roles for clients mainly in the technology sectors.

Cindy works extensively with CPA’s and current/former Big 4 alumni. As a ‘Change Agent’, Cindy has a wealth of knowledge and expertise for CPA’s transitioning from public accounting or to the next step in their careers.

Please visit her website www.hirealternative.com

The post Musings From Cindy Cremona, CPC – Recruiter Of Big4 Candidates appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

TMVW Departments Manager, Inge Opreel, said that the company has been working on new ways to improve and modernize its workforce. For the past several years, it has been attempting to make mainstream technology available to its workers. However, it has only recently begun to turn to a more mobile workplace.

As TMVW utilizes mobile technology among its workers, it is facing a number of challenges to make project management more effective. Opreel said that TMVW has commissioned Syclo and Capgemini to develop a new solution to manage the system.

Syclo and Capgemini completed this project, thereby enabling TMVW to facilitate its ability to capture data in the field. TMVW representatives say they are confident that their staff will be able to collect field data more efficiently than they could when they used manual collection systems.

Although Syclo was responsible for developing the new infrastructure, Capgemini played a key role in structuring the processes for implementation. The auditor offered a detailed understanding of the business environment and processes TMVW used and made sure they were implemented in the new system.

Rich Padula, founder and CEO of Syclo, said that his firm is proud to be able to use influential firms such as Capgemini as partners.

The post Capgemini and Syclo Implement Mobile Workforce Solution for TMVW appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

The state of Texas has hired Capgemini and Xerox to rebuild its IT infrastructure. This contract was originally offered to IBM in 2006, which was expected to take place over the course of 7 years. However, IBM failed to meet the deadlines Texas specified, thereby requiring the Texas Department of Information Resources to rescind the contract in 2010.

Capgemini will receive $127 million over the next 6 years in exchange for project management services. Xerox will be providing mainframe and networking services over the course of 8 years. Texas will pay Xerox $901 million for its services.

Capgemini and Xerox will be integrating the IT systems of nearly 30 state departments.

Two years after beginning litigation with IBM, Texas has finally come to an agreement with the state. Gov. Perry said that IBM failed to meet the schedules and would have created some technological malfunctions that could compromised critical data.

According to Todd Kimbriel, director of E-government and IT resources for Texas, IBM wanted to conduct most of its resources offsite. This would make it more difficult for the state to monitor the exchange of information and restrict access to client information and other confidential data.

Kimbriel said administrators faced some political resistance when they decided to move the data to a centralized location. Critics were concerned that some information should be restricted to the departments responsible for it. However, officials eventually agreed that the best solution was to create a centralized data location and felt Capgemini and Xerox were the best contractors to deliver on that service.

The post Texas Hires Capgemini to Handle Delinquent IBM Contract appeared first on Big4.com.

I recently placed a candidate in a considerably lower level role than I normally do. Most of my recruiting assignments are for senior level positions with experienced executives. It’s always personally rewarding to enhance someone’s career, both professionally, financially and personally, but this recent placement gave me a different buzz. One I remember liking from earlier in my own career. It’s the great feeling of making a difference in someone’s life, probably one they’ll always remember and knowing I helped create a turning point in their careers.

This also put me in mind of experiences placing  candidates coming directly out of Big 4 for the first time. I did my fair share of these transitions in the good old pre-IPO, pre-SOX days, circa mid-late 1990’s. Hard to believe the many changes that have occurred since, from Enron to the great recession. The one thing that hasn’t changed though is how young talent feels, making the leap of faith from a public accounting firm to private industry. I’m quite sure attorneys and accountants struggle with some of the same questions when leaving the world of prominent law firms and the Big 4. After all, they’ve been groomed for success and high expectations, pitted against their peers for recognition, fostered in an environment of similar professionals; all hard working, bright and ambitious up and comers. Some see a clear path towards partnership while others dread yet another busy season.

And then someone like me comes along – whispering in their ear of opportunity, title, compensation increases, the chance to have a more structured lifestyle. Maybe they’ll work just as hard, after all I believe cranking out the hours is just ingrained in the Big 4 psyche. Regardless of the inducement, there comes a time when the right opportunity hits a nerve and the considerations of change come into play.

What makes transitioning out of Big 4 so different? In addition to their accounting firm experience usually being their first role out of a college they were recruited from, there’s the comfort level of professional commonality and equality. Everyone starts off in a comparable position, with similar skills and education. Everyone is working towards the same goal. Expectations are set and met; there are mentors and an established pattern for growth.

It’s no wonder the thought of leaving the prestigious society created in their firms is such a difficult decision. Here the CPA can rely on mentorship, interesting work and variety. Their peers share the same workload, similar challenges and are bound together in a culture of hard work and long hours. And even though they have worked with and alongside their clients, going to work for them is a completely different ball game. Contemplating submitting their work for the Auditors to review, getting involved in everything from journal entries to financials and often a big challenge in learning how to motivate and lead non professional staff.  Leaving the cocoon of a big 4 environment is a daunting proposition and let’s face it – Managers and Partners will always encourage their star performers to stay.

Despite all the inducements to stay (excluding the long hours!), Big 4 talent often does make it’s way into the private sector. Most do it successfully, embracing private industry, thriving in new challenges and learning how to lead and motivate. Transitioning into the corporate world is almost a right of passage. Their talent is welcomed and embraced whichever side of the fence they ultimately choose.

Cindy Cremona, CPC has over twenty years experience as an Executive Recruiter. Her main focus is in Accounting and Finance, primarily placing senior level roles for clients mainly in the technology sectors.

The post Musings From Cindy Cremona, CPC – Recruiter Of Big4 Candidates appeared first on Big4.com.

The government is currently under contract with Aspire, which handles a number of the different systems they are currently using. The partnership between Capgemini and the government is expected to save money in two key ways. First of all, the government will be paying less for maintenance up front.

Although the savings on the contract itself will be significant, the bulk of the savings will come from the government’s ability to create a more competitive bidding system. Capgemini’s system will allow the government to be able to allow contractors to submit bids along with their proposals electronically. This will enable government agencies to better assess what proposals will deliver the highest return on their investment.

According to a government spokesperson, they need a more transparent model to ensure they receive more favorable bids from private contractors. They chose Capgemini for this project because they feel they are most likely to deliver a system that meets those needs. Some industry representatives believe that the solution will help the government save up to £8 billion in 2012 alone.

The post UK Government Contracts With Capgemini to Save Money appeared first on Big4.com.

Capgemini has secured a $127 million contract with the State of Texas to help the state integrate multi-sourced services.

The contract was agreed between the state’s Department of Information Resources and the Big4 firm and will last six years and cost the state $127 million. Capgemini will manage and monitor infrastructure services for the department, focusing on its data centers, mainframes, servers, networks, printing devices, and email infrastructure.

The firm will involve 150 of Capgemini staff in the firm’s North American Infrastructure Services Team, who will be working with state workers in twenty-eight government organizations and departments. The program will cover a variety of IT needs and products, such as service desk solutions, program management, IT security, and financial management.

Capgemini’s Corporate Vice President Richard Dicketts said that the project will be a challenge for his staff, but he remains confident that the firm can tackle it. “The Texas Department of Information Resources’ initiative to deliver infrastructure resources on such a large scale is an extremely complex undertaking,” he said in a statement. “Our deep infrastructure services integration experience is what enables us to take on the breadth and depth of a program like this, helping the DIR strike a perfect balance between flexibility and cost, while facilitating the potential expansion to other agencies in the future.”

The contract is one of the largest so far secured by the firm.

The post Capgemini Secures Texas Contract Worth $127 Million appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4 Blogger

Corporations are making mobile marketing strategies a greater priority over the new several years. As the demand for effective mobile strategies becomes a priority, these corporations are interested in combining resources and connections with other institutions. Capgemini has announced its intentions to meet those demands.

Capgemini will be launching a new suite to assist clients in developing mobile strategies. The new project will be a collaborative effort between Capgemini and Matrixx Software.

After implementing the platform, Capgemini will offer engaging, real-time interactions between communications providers and their subscribers. These services will provide instant visibility and detailed data to their subscribers.

Capgemini’s announcement coincides with news that the demand for mobile marketing services is increasing substantially. Prominent corporations including Toyota and Walt Disney are investing much more heavily in mobile marketing. A number of corporations are reallocating capital from their other their other marketing campaigns and placing it in mobile marketing instead.

Nike is an example of a company that is making mobile marketing a priority over its other marketing campaigns. Nike decided not to pay for a Super Bowl advertisement this February. Instead, the company has elected to increase its mobile marketing campaign.

Telecom, Capgemini’s Media and Entertainment Practice Sector Lead, Dee Burger, stated that mobile marketing will be the driving force for the industry for years to come.

The post Capgemini Announces New Suite for Corporate Mobility Services appeared first on Big4.com.

Yes….so do billions of other folks, in fact Cisco believes there will be more mobile devices than the 7.3 billion people on earth by 2016. And so, the techies have figured out that enterprise mobility services market is one of the fastest growing segments in the IT services market.

Companies had better take note – mobility should be at the core of every enterprises’ business strategy, demanding a shift from an IT-driven to a consumer-driven agenda.

And consultants are not far behind – now Capgemini and its subsidiary Sogeti are launching a new suite of services to help enterprises to connect the CIO, CMO and CEO to create and implement an effective mobile strategy.

So Capgemini’s “Mobile Solutions” is a new holistic approach to enterprise mobility to help organizations gain maximum value from mobile technologies and achieve business goals. Capgemini and Sogeti, as an Enterprise Mobility Orchestrator will provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ for mobility solutions.

And a dedicated ‘Mobile Applications Service Centre of Excellence’ is being set up in India with 250 additional experts delivering state-of-the-art mobile applications and focusing on France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, UK and North America.

Capgemini actually indicates that Mobile Solutions global service line is one of the fast growing and profitable market segments targeting over €400 million of additional revenues by 2015. According to Forrester Research Inc., the total mobile apps services market could be worth in excess of $17 billion USD by 20153.

These new solutions will firstly help enterprises interact with their increasingly mobile customer base through new channels to increase customer loyalty and boost sales. Second, they will also support mobile business employees’ work through improved access to critical business applications and data.

The service line comprises five key components, provided as a single offering or as one end to end solution:

1. Mobile Strategy: enables organizations to develop a coherent mobile strategy.

2. Mobile Applications: a highly industrialized approach covering the entire application development cycle.

3. Managed Mobility: complete end-to-end Application Lifecycle Services including application and device management delivered as-a-service with support and hosting in the cloud.

4. Mobile Platforms: tools and services that enable mobile solutions for multiple platforms

5. Reselling: through licensing technology from Capgemini Group’s vendor partners, customers will be able to access partners’ mobile platforms, infrastructure hardware and mobile devices

Fernando Alvarez, Mobile Solutions Global Service Line Leader, Capgemini confirms that smartphones, tablets and apps have embedded mobile technology firmly into our lives; and companies had better keep up or risk being left behind.

Capgemini and Sogeti are already working with a number of large companies in the area of managed mobility including One Nordic and The Coca Cola Refreshments Company.

By putting both thought and weight behind a much-needed solution, Capgemini is again proving that it is providing leadership and solutions to a complex business problem facing companies all over the world.

The post Capgemini Helps Companies Meet The Needs Of The New Mobile Customer appeared first on Big4.com.

The post Featured Job: Business Analyst – Notre Dame Job, Capital One appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4.com Blogger

Capgemini revised its earnings outlook for 2012 to project increased growth and improved stability. Shares have increased by 7% amid increased optimism. Although Capgemini primarily serves the European markets, it faces new opportunities in North America and among global corporations.

Capgemini posted strong sales growth for 2011. The 11.4% growth in sales was higher than analysts originally forecast. Capgemini’s stock outperformed all others in the French Cac 40 index and was among the top performers in the other leading European indexes.

Despite prospects in other developed nations, the European financial crisis continues to pose a significant risk to the company’s growth perspectives. New concerns about the viability with a long-term solution to the debt crisis, the possibility that Greece will be forced to leave the eurozone and France being stripped of its AAA rating by S&P foreshadow the possibility that European sales will decline.

Governments throughout the European Union have announced budget cuts which include cuts to Capgemini’s services. For example, the United Kingdom has stated that they are going to cut Capgemini services by up to 180 million euros. Reductions in UK spending alone are expected to reduce Capgemini’s 2012 profit outlook by 2% or more.

While European spending cuts present some challenges to Capgemini, the firm stands by its new sales and margin outlooks. Chief Executive Paul Hermelin said that the company may face limited growth in the first few months of the year, but projects profitability will improve throughout the year.

The post Capgemini Margin Projections Improve Despite European Market Concerns appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4.com Blogger

According to Capgemini’s CEO of Australia and New Zealand, Paul Thorley, the auditor has setup a new office in Canberra. The office was opened by Stephane Romatet, a French ambassador to Australia.

Thorley stated that creating an office in Canberra will give Capgemini increased access to Australian politicians. The new base will also allow them to expand their partnership opportunities with a variety of organizations all over the country.

Capgemini intends to provide the same world-class services it offers to all of its customers. These include consulting, technology and outsourcing. In addition, they will continue to provide the financial and managerial services that they have always provided.

The new office is equipped with some of the most state-of-the-art systems. One feature Capgemini has added is an Accelerated Solutions Environment. This ASE program will help Capgemini take a look at responses and potential solutions and review any potential stakeholders that will be affected by them. The program has already been implemented by a number of other firms in prior years and has been met with many positive reviews.

Capgemini expects the ASE and other technologies it is implementing in its new office to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its clients’ businesses

The post Capgemini Australia Creates Office in Canberra appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4.com Blogger

A recent study from Capgemini concluded that the automotive industry faces a variety of challenges as it transitions towards the use of electric vehicles. The new changes are unlike anything automotive industry has seen in decades and major players will need to rethink their strategy to stay competitive.

Capgemini found that the demand for electric vehicles presents many opportunities for the industry. However, companies are also going to need to make drastic changes to their business models as they confront these changes.

Capgemini proposed companies in the automotive sector should take several steps to change their business models. Most importantly, they should develop an ongoing innovation process that doesn’t limit them to existing frameworks of doing business. Additionally, companies should continue to identify their place in the competitive sphere both in the present and the future.

In order to achieve their goals under new business models, companies may need to consider forging new partnerships with other companies. In order to create value for their customers, they are going to need to consider the benefits the new technology may offer. Capgemini claims that companies may need to consider working with other partners in order to realize the full potential of new advances in technology.

Capgemini conducted the study towards the end of 2011 and incorporated the feedback of 66 industry experts.

The post Capgemini Study Finds Future of Automotive Industry Uncertain appeared first on Big4.com.

Job Category: Accounting/Auditing
Salary Range: Competitive
Education: Bachelor’s degree required
URL: http://hire.jobvite.com/j/?cj=oDY4Vfwk&s=big4
This is a great opportunity for an experienced Senior Accountant who would like to pursue their career in a high-growth business environment that offers many opportunities for personal development and the chance to take on ad hoc assignments. This role will coordinate the monthly consolidation of financial results for Match.com and all its affiliated entities, coordinate and review A/R activities for national advertising sales, provide support for various statutory audits, and work on a variety of special projects.

Responsibilities:
•Coordinate the consolidation of monthly financial results for submission to our parent company, IAC
•Coordinate the review of submitted results against monthly forecast
•Prepare consolidated statements of cash flows
•Coordinate the quarterly reporting package submission to our parent company
•Provide support for statutory audit & SOX compliance activities
•Maintain the general ledger chart of accounts and monthly financial reports
•Coordinate and review all A/R activities for national advertising sales
•Conduct technical accounting research

Requirements:
•Certified Public Accountant
•Bachelor’s degree
•1-3 years prior public accounting experience
•Prior financial analysis & reporting experience
•Strong analytical skills
•Experience utilizing a variety of software including Microsoft Excel, Access and Hyperion

The post Featured Job: Senior Consolidations Accountant, Match.com (See Video) appeared first on Big4.com.

http://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_citrix/external/gateway.do?functionName=viewFromLink&jobPostId=31638&localeCode=en-us

We are actively seeking an NPI/Operations Consulting Manager to join the Citrix Operations team.

The Citrix Operations Business Management team ensures Citrix products get into the hands of our customers. As part of this team, you will consult with Product and Program groups to ensure that all launches run smoothly for Citrix.
This team works on the leading edge of Citrix, partnering with the people that bring new Citrix technologies to market or engage in M&A activities, frequently in highly visible and strategic circumstances. We act as the first line of defense when new products, promotions or programs are introduced and when target companies are acquired and integrated. Additionally, the team runs strategic projects related to business process optimization and cost saving initiatives.
We’re looking for candidates that possess strong communication and project management skills, have engaged and maintained customer relationships, and have the experience and desire to apply a structured methodology to bridge the gap between the business and operations. You will be exposed to a wide array of groups and experiences inside and outside of Citrix. To be successful, candidates must to be able to work with team members of all levels of the organization, from order processing representatives to VPs.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
• Primary point of contact for assigned product lines, ensuring operational backend processes and systems support successful product and program launches.
• Consults with product and program management to design and implement custom operational and systems solutions as necessary.
• Maintains strong partnerships with launch team members from various organizations to ensure launch activities are successful.
• Conducts requirements gathering sessions, gap and cost analyses, design workshops, and training for launches and in conjunction with operational initiatives
• Manages day-to-day operational aspects of launch projects. Writes clear and precise technical and project documentation.
• Creates and executes project work plans and revises as appropriate to meet changing needs and requirements. Collaborates with other organizations to ensure project goals are met.
• Proactively highlights and documents risks related to projects. Leads the effort with project team to mitigate risks.
• Informally coaches and mentors other team members. Develops and executes team development and recognition initiatives.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• 2-4 years’ experience in consulting, program management, operations, or related area.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Business Administration, Engineering or a related discipline required.
• Consulting project experience – ability to engage and partner with internal customers and conduct requirements gathering sessions, gap / comparative analysis, design workshops, etc.
• Strong interpersonal, teamwork, and follow-up skills with ability to develop rapport with others and recognize and react to their concerns.
• Personal sense of urgency, capacity to overcome obstacles, thriving in an environment where he/she must adapt to changing situations and priorities.
• Proven project management skills including experience managing projects with small to medium-sized complexity.
• Solid understanding of the Product Lifecycle Management (“PLM”), methodologies.
• Technical competence and analytical skills. Experience in development, systems, new product introductions, or supply chain implementations from analysis to rollout.
• Experience with system integration projects and/or business process reengineering is a plus.
• Excellent communication, presentation and business acumen skills.

The post Featured Job: NPI/Operations Consulting Manager, Citrix Systems appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

The Financial Services Global Business Unit of Capgemini has been awarded the Partner Excellence Award in Customer Centricity from Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), the leader in Business Process Management (BPM) and software for customer centricity.

Capgemini was recognized for demonstrating excellence in its work to help organizations identify cost-effective ways to improve their overall customer experience through comprehensive technology implementations and support services.

Anirban Bose, Vice President and North America banking business unit head, Capgemini Financial Services, said the award recognizes the collaboration between Pegasystems and Capgemini to implement a customer service center solution that combines an understanding of customer requirements with core banking process expertise and leading edge technology to drive sustainable benefits for a Tier 1 bank and its customers.

“We are confident that by leveraging our joint global delivery capabilities and Capgemini’s banking center of excellence other banks will be able to leverage assets from these customer centric initiatives this year,” added Bose.

Capgemini’s Financial Services Global Business Unit brings deep industry experience, innovative service offerings and next generation global delivery to serve the financial services industry. With a network of 17,000 professionals serving over 900 clients worldwide, Capgemini collaborates with leading banks, insurers and capital market companies to deliver business and IT solutions and thought leadership which create tangible value.

The post Capgemini: Awarded Partner Excellence Award for Customer Centricity From Pegasystems appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4.com Blogger

Capgemini has been awarded a positive rating for Gartner’s report “MarketScope for Business Intelligence and Information Management Services in North America.” This report highlights the companies that meet the highest standards of BI, analytics and IM services.

As the head of Capgemini’s North America Business Information Management unit, Scott Schlesinger feels the report speaks volumes about the company’s business information management sector. Schlesinger stated that Capgemini has made substantial investments in its analytics and information management practices. The company will continue to work closely with other leaders in the technology industry to deliver the highest levels of service to their customers.

Gartner recognizes Capgemini’s diverse array of services which include strategic information management blueprinting; data architecture, warehousing and management; business analytics and performance reporting; electronic file management and retrieval, and collaboration portals.

In addition to recognizing Capgemini for its developments in business intelligence and information management services, Gartner has recognized Capgemini in its list of Global Business Intelligence and Performance Management Service Providers.

Capgemini has 7,000 consultants in its Global Information Services department. The auditor has a base in India and other locations around the world.

The post Capgemini Given High Rating on Gartner Management Report appeared first on Big4.com.

ACME Business Consulting helps organizations achieve specific and critically important business objectives. We are leaders – catalysts, augmenters and force multipliers. ACME teams are comprised of senior-level managers with Big 5 experience, advanced educations and past successes. In other words, it takes a lot to rattle us.

As an ACME Senior Manager, you will tap into your left and right brains. With your left you will bring real-world analytic skill, methodology and planning. From your right you will hone creativity, sensitivity and smarts as you navigate and lead business transformation projects. This position requires strong leadership skills, project management discipline and an understanding of the methods and tools used to achieve success.

http://www.big4.com/jobs/career/39633/Senior-Consultant-Oregon-Or-Portland

As an ACME Senior Consultant, you will be a critical player on large, complex projects. You will excel at bringing real-world analytic skill, methodology and planning to ACME-led engagements. You will be responsible for managing and delivering key components and deliverables on large projects and programs. This position requires strong analytical skills, project management discipline and an understanding of what it takes to be a successful member of a high performing team.

http://www.big4.com/jobs/career/39617/Senior-Manager-External-Reporting-California-Ca-Sunnyvale

Senior Manager, External Reporting Yahoo

Role: Manages and participates in the preparation of all external financial reporting – including earnings releases, annual report and other required SEC filings. Coordinates the information gathering process involving interactions with finance personnel across the organization and also interacts with the Company’s external auditors. Provides technical consulting support to financial management at the corporate and divisional level on the treatment of accounting issues, implementation of new accounting standards, compliance with U.S. GAAP, and SEC regulations. Monitors compliance with U.S. GAAP, SEC and PCAOB regulations in the context of financial reporting. Also, manages and participates in the monthly preparation of internal financial reports.

The post Jobs Of The Week For Big Four Alumni and Professionals Jan 2012-1 appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

The combined Testing Practice of Capgemini and Sogeti business units has topped Ovum’s 2011 benchmarking study of Testing Services. Ranking above other world-leading technology service providers, Capgemini Group was recognized specifically for its test process expertise as well as its customer intimacy and responsiveness.

Together, Capgemini and Sogeti have developed innovative, business-driven quality assurance (QA) and testing services, combining best-in-breed testing methodologies (TMap® and TPI®) and the global delivery model, Rightshore®, to help organizations achieve their testing and QA goals. Capgemini and Sogeti have created one of the largest dedicated testing practices in the world, with over 8,200 test professionals and a further 12,500 application specialists, notably through a common center of excellence with testing specialists developed in India.

In addition to the way Capgemini Group works collaboratively with customers at an operational level in joint customer-Capgemini/Sogeti teams to agree Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators to combine decision making and share accountability, Capgemini Group was also noted for its ability to accommodate the linguistic and cultural requirements of its customers. This is attributed to a high proportion of Capgemini Group’s testing practice being based onshore or nearshore – enabling local teams to assimilate with and work alongside the customer’s own IT professionals.

Hans van Waayenburg, Leader of the Testing Global Services Line commented: We are delighted to have been recognized by Ovum as heading the leaders board for testing, ahead of tough competition.” Remarking on 25 years of providing leading quality assurance and testing service, he added: “Our aim then and now has always been to help clients lower their costs of new and existing IT applications and to enable faster delivery with higher quality.”

The Ovum Services Guide: Outsourced Testing benchmarks software and systems testing services providers across the world. Ovum bases its study on 20 key criteria ranging from cost and value, service portfolio, domain expertise, innovation and talent pool. Ovum benchmarked 13 software and systems testing services providers, ranking Capgemini Group at number one, ahead of other major players in the market.

The post Capgemini: Group’s Outsourced Testing Services Tops Ovum Benchmarking Study appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

A €500 million 5-year bond issue with a coupon of 5.25% launched by Capgemini on November 18 was settled on November 29, 2011. The transaction, placed with institutional investors following a series of meetings in the main European market places, was three times over-subscribed.

The lead banks for the bond issue were BNP Paribas, J.P. Morgan Securities Ltd., HSBC and Société Générale. The loan is rated “BBB-” by the international rating agency Standard & Poor’s in the Investment Grade category, with a stable outlook.

“Despite difficult market conditions, our inaugural issue generated strong demand from investors, demonstrating their interest and confidence in the sector of IT services, which has so far been underrepresented in the euro bond market”, said Nicolas Dufourcq, Deputy General Manager and Chief Financial Officer. He explained the transaction enabled Capgemini to diversify its funding sources by aiming for a new type of investor.

This transaction enables the Group to strengthen its financial flexibility and extend the average maturity of its debt, in accordance with the objectives set by Capgemini on the presentation of its 3rd quarter revenues.

Capgemini thereby anticipates the now likely redemption of its June 2005 issue of bonds convertible/exchangeable into new or existing shares (OCEANE) maturing on January 1, 2012. Furthermore this has been achieved without a significant increase in the interest expense recognized in the Group’s consolidated accounts. Indeed, the OCEANE bond issue – which in case of conversion could lead to the creation of around 12 million shares – generated a €26 million consolidated charge 2010.

The post Capgemini: Places A 500 Million 5-Year Bond Issue appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4.com Blogger

According to a report by Business Insider, Capgemini has decided to refocus its management consulting practice to helping take its clients social. According to Didier Bonnet of Capgemini’s Global Practice Leader, Capgemini is making all services it provides digital. Bonnet decided on this course of action after they interviewed nearly 200 business leaders along with MIT. The leaders they interviewed claimed that they were focusing more strongly on digitizing their business.

Capgemini has found that digitizing businesses is a great way for companies to gain a competitive edge. They have stated that opportunities to make businesses more innovative is one of the key features of social business. Businesses that retain a strong digital presence can request feedback from their customers, employees and anyone they do business with.

Also, social businesses can take advantage of their opportunity to reach their customers in a more engaging way. Many businesses are realizing that their competitors are focusing more strongly on taking advantage of one of the newest milestones in communication. As a result, they are able to interact with their customers in a way that allows them to establish personal connections and build trust in ways that they could not with other forms of communication. In addition, social business allows companies to focus on developing a global presence in order to establish their presence locally.

Capgemini has found that two-thirds of businesses have yet to start a digital transformation program. They intend to assist them in keeping up with their competitors.

The post Capgemini Changes it’s Focus Towards Social Business appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

The Capgemini Group has been awarded the ‘HP Software Most Innovative Alliance Partner of the Year’ Award for EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa).

The award recognizes the role of the Capgemini Group (Capgemini and Sogeti) as a leading and innovative technology partner and its position as one of the largest global systems integrators for HP Software in the EMEA region.

“We are delighted to be recognized with this important award from one of our key strategic partners and to receive validation as one of the premier systems integrator for HP Software in EMEA,” said Murat Aksu, VP, Global Head of the HP Software Alliance, Capgemini.

The annual HP Software Awards are given to partners and resellers to recognize outstanding achievement. The Capgemini Group was recognized this year based in large part on the strength of its collaboration on application lifecycle and testing thought-leadership initiatives, joint solutions such as the TMap® Accelerator for HP Quality Center, Go-To-Market activities and demonstrative results with customer wins in both the public and private sectors.

The award also acknowledges the continued strength of the HP-Capgemini collaboration.

The World Quality Report and the new Application Landscape Report were key reports launched jointly by the two companies in 2011.

“The award is testament to the dedication of our teams and our collaborative efforts to deliver thought-leadership and tailored solutions that have provided significant customer results to business challenges,” said Mr. Aksu. “We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with HP Software in the years to come,” he added.

This latest recognition from HP follows Capgemini Group’s HP Software Alliance Partner of the Year award for EMEA in 2010.

The post Capgemini: Receives Innovation In EMEA Award From HP appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

For the third consecutive year, Capgemini has won a Teradata Partner award, most recently receiving the Epic award for Collaborative Revenue Contribution.

This year’s award was presented to Systems Integrators and Consulting partners who have consistently generated the largest year-over-year incremental revenue growth with Teradata on a global basis.

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has been the recipient of other prestigious Teradata Partner awards as well, having won the Teradata EMEA Systems Integrator Partner of the Year Award for leadership and collaboration in Telecommunications and Financial Services in 2009, as well as the Teradata Innovation Award, in recognition of collaboration with Teradata in France the same year. Capgemini also received the Teradata Partner Impact Award for Innovation for its role in the joint “Smart Analytics for Utilities” initiative in 2010.

Congratulating Capgemini on its recent achievement as winner of the Epic Award for Collaborative Revenue Contribution, Bob Fair, executive vice president, global field operations, Teradata said: “Our shared customers recognize the unique contribution of our partnership, which has delivered strong business value such as the recently announced success at Levi Strauss.”

“We are delighted to be recognized for the close collaboration with Teradata and our Business Information Management Global Service Line,” commented Paul Nannetti, head of Global Service Lines at Capgemini. “We have traditionally partnered well in the Financial Services and Telecommunications sectors, and in the past year have been very pleased with the strong progress we are making together in Consumer Products and Life Sciences. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with Teradata in the years to come.”

Capgemini’s Global Business Information Management (BIM) services include strategic information management blueprinting; data architecture, warehousing and management; business analytics and performance reporting; electronic file management and retrieval, and collaboration portals. The BIM Service Line has over 7,000 BIM consultants, with a dedicated Center of Excellence in Mumbai, India, enhanced by a Customer BIM Experience (CUBE) launched in September 2010.

The post Capgemini: Awarded Epic Award for Collaborative Revenue Contribution From Teradata appeared first on Big4.com.

This week Big4.com brings you KPMG’s financial results on Strong Business Growth Leads To US$22.7 Billion In
Revenues, Ernst & Young’s report on Risk Amid Continued Uncertainty In 2012
For Life Insurers, PwC’s findings that Gaming Revenues To Reach US$182.8
Billion, Accenture’s report on Cities Missing Smart Opportunity To Measure
Hidden Value, Deloitte’s Proposed Reform To Family Justice System, and Ernst
& Young’s analysis of Growth Expected In India’s Media and Entertainment
Industry.

Each week
Big4.com covers key news, events, happenings, opinions and blogs relating to
all the Big Four accounting and consulting firms. You can view this video our
website and on Big4.com’s channel on Youtube. So, let’s start with this week’s
round-up of the top news!

KPMG: Strong Business Growth Leads To US$22.7 Billion In Revenues

KPMG recently announced member firm
combined revenues totaling $22.7 billion for the fiscal year ending September
30, 2011.  The company recorded strong
growth across all functions. Audit revenues rebounded to grow 5.8 percent in
U.S. dollars, or 1.8 percent in local currency terms, to US$10.48 billion
against strong competition in the marketplace and a difficult business
environment. Tax revenues grew 13 percent in U.S. dollars, or 8.5 percent in
local currency terms, to US$4.69 billion. Advisory revenues rose 14.8 percent
in U.S. dollars, and 11.2 percent in local currency terms, to $7.54 billion.

Ernst & Young’s Risk Amid Continued Uncertainty In 2012 For Life Insurers

According to Ernst & Young’s new Global
Insurance Center US Outlook, there are several issues US life and annuity
insurance companies will need to grapple with in 2012. Among these are low
interest rates that should persist until at least 2013, increasing the risk of
spread compression for existing products. Insurers may also be challenged by
future Congressional efforts to reform the federal tax code. Implications exist
here for both corporate-level taxes and policyholder tax issues.

However, life insurers can leverage web technology to develop stronger ties to customers amid these other concerns.

PwC’s Gaming Revenues To Reach US$182.8 Billion

The release of PwC’s new annual report
“Global Gaming Outlook: The casino and online gaming market to 2015″ has some
interesting findings including the fact that spending in the US will rise by
5.0 per cent from US$57.5 billion in 2010 to US$73.3 billion in 2015.

Future casino upgrades and a
new casino licence will enhance the South African casino market as well, but
compared with the prior decade—when a number of new casinos opened—there will be relatively little growth from new casinos during the forecast period.

Accenture: Cities Missing Smart Opportunity To Measure Hidden Value

A new report published by
The Climate Group, Accenture, Arup
and Horizon Digital Economy Research at The University of Nottingham states
that cities are missing the opportunity to turn unused data and infrastructure
into new low carbon solutions and services.

The report Information
Marketplaces: The new economics of cities, indicates that while cities are using
information and communications technology (ICT) to improve their sustainability
and efficiency, they are not recognizing or measuring the full value of smart
initiatives. The report suggests cities should start with a common set of
metrics that can be translated into financial and non-financial values.

Deloitte: Proposed Reform To Family Justice System

Building
on the recommendations set out by the Family Justice Review panel in November
2011, Deloitte has proposed a new
model of service integration in the family court service.

These recommendations include Data analytics being used to measure service
effectiveness and predict when outcomes for children or young people may be
compromised by the system, enabling the organisation to be accountable to local
children, young people and citizens and commissioned targeted services on
behalf of a region with alternative financing vehicles for funding implemented.
Ernst & Young: Growth Expected In India’s Media and Entertainment Industry

A new study by Ernst & Young shows that India’s
growing digital media consumption and favorable demographics are key drivers
for future growth in the country’s media and entertainment industry.

With registered revenues of US$16.3 billion in 2010,
the Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry is expected to see
revenues in excess of US$25 billion over the next four years according to the
report, ‘Spotlight on India’s Entertainment Economy’. The report notes India’s increasing per capita income,
growing middle class and working population are generating huge domestic demand for leisure and entertainment.

The post Check out the latest Big Four video (Dec 2011-2) appeared first on Big4.com.

By Michael Foster, Big4.com Blogger

Capgemini has released findings that Fortune 1000 companies’ bottom lines are being affected by late payments. According to the firm’s recent Executive Insight Survey, executives said that firms’ growth, hiring, and revenue were negatively affected by the delayed cash flow caused by late payments.

The survey was conducted in September of this year by Harris Interactive and asked 304 executives from Fortune 1000 companies a variety of questions relating to the impact late payments have had on their operations. A total of 45 per cent of executives said that they are seeing an increase in late payments from clients, with fifteen per cent of executives saying that there was been a jump of 25 per cent or more in late payments within the past year.

Almost a quarter of firms had a “significant impact” on their business, according to the survey.

Executives cited company growth as the largest area affected at 29 per cent, with hiring (27 per cent) and revenue (20 per cent) close behind.

To combat the delays, companies have begun outsourcing cash collections to lower costs. This strategy was found to increase company profitability (according to 34 per cent of respondents) and efficiency in the revenue cycle (according to 32 per cent). Over half of respondents also reported that outsourcing collections reduced bad debt loss.

“The survey shows a worrying trend, as many top firms are being impacted by an increase in late payments,” said Chris Stancombe, Head of Finance and Accounting Outsourcing at Capigemini, adding that cash flow is “critically important” to companies in the current market.

The post Fortune 1000 Companies Suffering from Delayed Cash Flow, According to Capgemini Survey appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Launched last November 18, a €500 million 5-year bond issue with a coupon of 5.25%  was settled on November 29, 2011 by Capgemini. It had been placed with institutional investors following a series of meetings in the main European market places and was three times over-subscribed.

In accordance with the objectives set by Capgemini on the presentation of its 3rd quarter revenues, this transaction enables the Group to strengthen its financial flexibility and extend the average maturity of its debt. Capgemini thereby anticipates the now likely redemption of its June 2005 issue of bonds convertible/exchangeable into new or existing shares (OCEANE) maturing on January 1, 2012. Furthermore this has been achieved without a significant increase in the interest expense recognized in the Group’s consolidated accounts. Indeed, the OCEANE bond issue – which in case of conversion could lead to the creation of around 12 million shares – generated a €26 million consolidated charge 2010.

Nicolas Dufourcq, Deputy General Manager and Chief Financial Officer comments:

“This transaction enables Capgemini to diversify its funding sources by targeting a new category of investors. Despite difficult market conditions, our inaugural issue generated strong demand from investors, demonstrating their interest and confidence in the sector of IT services, which has so far been underrepresented in the euro bond market”.

The post Capgemini: €500 Million Bond Issue Placed appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Frost & Sullivan, the global research organization, recently awarded Capgemini with the 2011 Excellence in Globalization Award, in recognition of the firm’s international business accomplishments in the Financial Services and Insurance industries.

Capgemini has emerged as a leader in the financial management services through its deep domain knowledge, expertise and experience, according to Frost & Sullivan’s research findings.

Capgemini’s Financial Services Global Business Unit brings deep industry experience, innovative service offerings and next generation global delivery to serve the financial services industry. Capgemini collaborates with leading banks, insurers and capital market companies worldwide through its team of 17,000 professionals to deliver business and IT solutions and thought leadership which create tangible value.

Some of the key criteria used to measure Capgemini’s global delivery performance against key competitors for the Excellence in Globalization Award included leverage of global assets; global integration of processes/systems; strategic global footprint; enhanced global value to customer; and its overall global perspective.

“This award for globalization excellence fully recognizes the success of our strategic methodologies including our Global Process Model and Global Delivery model, Rightshore®,” commented Shane Cassidy, VP – Financial Services Global Business Unit at Capgemini. “We have leveraged the right balance of locations, our streamlined processes and innovative customized business models to help our clients reduce cost and ultimately improve their bottom line,” he added.

With more than 115,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2010 global revenues of EUR 8.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.
Learn more about us at www.capgemini.com.

The post Capgemini: Firm’s Financial Services Receives Globalization Excellence Award appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

It was recently announced that Capgemini UK plc, part of the Capgemini Group, has been chosen as the global business intelligence partner of Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies.

Over the next three years, the Capgemini team will work alongside Unilever IT and business teams to create Unilever’s first Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), a programme providing real-time data on its customers, markets and operations worldwide to support decisions on all the company’s plans and activities.

The programme will implement new datamining and analytical tools to provide comprehensive and up-to-date data to support Unilever management at all levels to achieve fast, informed and fact based decision-making. It is also expected to deliver significant sustainable cost savings in IT and across Unilever’s global business operations.

Paul Nannetti, Capgemini’s Global Leader for Business Information Management, commented:

Unilever is already one of our most important global customers and we are delighted to be working with them to deliver this new and critical programme which aims to release the full power of information to the benefit of their business. We look forward to applying our experience of global BI transformations to this programme combining our skills in technology, programme management and business consulting.”

Willem Eelman, Unilever’s Global Chief Information Officer, said Capgemini was the natural choice as a partner for his firm, “given their strong global Business Information Management experience and understanding of our business.“

Capgemini was selected by Unilever for its in-depth knowledge of global BIM challenges and proven BIM methodology, its track record in major BIM assignments and in the consumer goods sector, and its five year track record of successful engagements in finance business process outsourcing at Unilever. Capgemini’s proven commitment to sustainability, matched by Unilever, was another reason for its selection among competitive bids from several other leading multinational IT providers.

Capgemini was positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the leaders’ quadrant for Global Business Intelligence and Performance Management Service Providers, and its work on the Unilever programme strengthens its position as one of the world’s leading Business Information Management service providers.

The post Capgemini: Selected By Unilever To Provide Global Transformation Programme appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Capgemini’s combined Testing Practice of Capgemini and Sogeti business units were recognized recently and topped Ovum’s 2011 benchmarking study of Testing Services.

Ovum noted in particular how Capgemini Group works collaboratively with customers at an operational level in joint customer-Capgemini/Sogeti teams to agree Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators to combine decision making, and share accountability. Capgemini Group was also noted for its ability to accommodate the linguistic and cultural requirements of its customers, a result of a high proportion of Capgemini Group’s testing practice being based onshore or nearshore – enabling local teams to assimilate with and work alongside the customer’s own IT professionals.

Hans van Waayenburg, Leader of the Testing Global Services Line comments:

“We are delighted to have been recognized by Ovum as heading the leaders board for testing, ahead of tough competition. We have just marked 25 years of providing leading quality assurance and testing services. From small beginnings in 1986 in Sogeti Netherlands, our world-class testing service has been growing at a rate of over 29% per year, with a sizeable combined team of Sogeti and Capgemini dedicated testers, active in nearly 40 countries. Our aim then and now has always been to help clients lower their costs of new and existing IT applications and to enable faster delivery with higher quality.”

The post Capgemini :Number One Ranking for Outsourced Testing Services appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Capgemini is pleased to announce it has been chosen by the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), a Sempra Energy utility, to support them in the delivery of a comprehensive advanced meter solution.

Capgemini was selected among major vendors by SoCalGas following a competitive tender process. The project represents a first for a large North American, gas-only distribution company.

Capgemini will provide SoCalGas with a spectrum of advanced meter project services including developing processes for and staffing a project management office, developing detailed technical and business requirements for the project, managing multiple system releases and developing project strategies for the test and organizational change management aspects of the project. Capgemini will also provide support to the systems integration, architecture, testing, and deployment efforts.

“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with a leading utility like Southern California Gas Company on a project of such scale, with such potential,” said Perry Stoneman, vice president and global leader, Smart Energy Services, Capgemini.

Stoneman said this project “is the latest in a line of important milestones” for Capgemini Smart Energy Services (SES). Since the firm initiated its SES global service line in February 2010, Capgemini has grown its smart energy client base from 5 customers in North America to a total of 39 active accounts representing triple-digit growth and all major geographies worldwide.

Capgemini continues to expand its SES portfolio focusing on SES Platform, a “software as a service” solution for metering operations as well as Home Energy Management. Capgemini provides the full spectrum of smart metering, smart grid, smart home and smart analytics solutions through leveraging best practices developed successfully over the last decade with some of the world’s leading utilities.

Work on the project is planned to extend to the end of December 2013, with an initial ‘go live’ date of October 2012.

The post Capgemini: Awarded Smart Meter Contract With SoCalGas appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Capgemini was recently awarded a lucrative €42 million contract extension with International Paper, a global paper and packaging company. The contract renewal covers the existing full scope of Finance and Accounting (F&A) services until the year 2018.

International Paper, a Fortune 500 company and a global leader in the paper and packaging industry, operates in more than 20 countries, employs over 60,000 people and serves customers worldwide. The company’s businesses include uncoated papers and industrial and consumer packaging with primary markets and manufacturing operations in North and Latin America, Europe, Russia, Asia and North Africa.

Hubert Giraud, CEO for Capgemini Business Process Outsourcing commented:

“We are delighted to have won this landmark contract extension with International Paper, which is recognition of their trust in our collaboration, commitment and delivery of these important services. The Capgemini engagement team has demonstrated their exceptional capabilities to deliver industrialization and innovation. We look forward to extending this important strategic partnership to our mutual benefit.”

The key to winning the contract extension was Capgemini’s consistently high quality service delivery, its innovative and flexible solutions and its response to the need of International Paper.

Capgemini was viewed as an important driver of process improvement using its Global Process Model and worked collaboratively with International Paper to achieve process standardization and higher operational performance.

The contract extension brings the total collaboration period between the two companies to 19 years, one of the longest business relationships in the BPO sector.

With more than 115,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2010 global revenues of EUR 8.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.
Learn more about us at www.capgemini.com.

The post Capgemini: Awarded Contract Renewal With International Paper appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Capgemini is pleased to announce the appointments of Dee Burger as the new Telecom, Media and Entertainment (TME) Practice Sector Lead, and Jean-Marc Steffann as Vice President and Deputy Lead of Capgemini’s Global Telecom, Media and Entertainment (TME) Practice.

Commenting on the new appointments, Stanislas Cozon, Global Head of Sectors at Capgemini, said:

“With both Dee and Jean-Marc on board, I am confident in strengthening our mobile offering for this key trend in established markets as well as helping to spearhead Capgemini’s expansion into new international markets, including Latin America.”

The dual appointments coincide with plans by the firm’s telecom sector to build solutions to help businesses cope with mobile data growth.

With a MBA from the University of Georgia as well as a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Clemson University, Dee Burger brings over 19 years experience to his new position with the firm’s TME sector.

Previously responsible for developing and leading Capgemini’s Communication Transformation Platform (CTP) offering, the basis for the company’s leading position in the Telecommunications transformation market, Dee also lead Capgemini’s North American telecom team. Prior to joining the firm, Burger was a Partner in the Telecommunications practice at Ernst & Young, and held a Vice Presidential role in the Telecommunications practice at Gemini Consulting.

Jean-Marc Steffann brings over 20 years industry experience to his new position with Capgemini.

Steffann played a pivotal role in the development and launch of Wanadoo in 1995. He was appointed Wanadoo’s first Chief Technology Officer in 2000 and went on to become CEO of Wanadoo France in 2005. He also became a specialist in IP networks, having spent 18 years within the France Telecom Group’s R&D center (now known as Orange Labs).

A graduate from the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole Nationale des Telecommunications, Jean-Marc holds a master’s degree from Institut Theseus. He is a renowned Internet expert and was one of the early promoters of the Internet in France.

The appointments of both Dee Burger and Jean-Marc Steffann will take effect immediately.

The post Capgemini: Two New Appointments To Firm’s TME Practice Sector appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Challenging global economic conditions, including the Eurozone debt crisis and a weakened U.S. economy, have lead to a slight decline (1.3 percent) in global trade levels quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) for the third quarter of this year, according to analysis from Capgemini Consulting. Meanwhile, local domestic consumption worldwide increased 7.6 percent between Q3 2010 and Q3 2011, suggesting locally produced products and services are being favored over imports.

Capgemini Consulting’s Global Trade Flow Index tracks the global trade of goods and services by quarter, and reveals an increasing gap between trade levels in mature and emerging markets, with a decrease in import and export growth levels affecting all the G7 nations.

In the third quarter of this year, trade levels in Europe fell by 2 percent, attributed to the debt crisis in the eurozone and an appreciating euro. Trade levels also declined by 2 percent q-o-q in the U.S., with a weak dollar and rising commodity prices reducing its foreign market growth and domestic consumption. Meanwhile, Japan’s trade levels declined 1.6 percent in the same period.

By comparison, trade levels in emerging markets were more stable, with both India and China showing increases of 1.2 percent and 0.4 percent q-o-q.

Roy Lenders, Vice President Supply Chain Management at Capgemini Consulting, notes growing GDP levels in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are not leading to increased global trade flow levels, suggesting this local growth mainly benefits companies providing locally produced goods and services. “For companies looking to benefit from growth in the BRIC countries, local operations should be the preferred way to market,” he said.

As the traditional end of year seasonal upswing in holiday trade is forecasted to increase global trade flows, inflation is expected to be a key risk for both emerging and developed markets in the fourth quarter of this year. While ongoing US fiscal imbalances may create unstable financial markets, the Index indicates the biggest risk to the overall outlook of the global business environment in Q4 2011 continues to be the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone.

The post Capgemini: Index Reveals Global Trade Levels Decline in Q3 2011 appeared first on Big4.com.

Capgemini recently announced the launch of its IBX Spend Capture Cloud solution to help customers enhance their procurement processes using an easy to deploy cloud solution.

Many businesses have not realized the full potential of on-line procurement. According to Capgemini’s 2010 CPO Survey, 67% of businesses indicated less than one-fifth of their spend is through eProcurement.

Cloud services have the advantage of being quick, easy-to-use, ready for use, and not requiring any data integration or customer installation. Capgemini’s IBX Spend Capture Cloud can be up and running in 90 days offering cost benefits of up to 50% compared to an on-premise implementation. The solution integrates with all major eProcurement systems and has pre-built integration package for SAP SRM. It links contracts to operational processes to provide improved contract compliance, and includes a system to track key performance indicators to show procurement value contribution.

“We are excited about the launch of the IBX Spend Capture Cloud,” commented Pontus Björnsson, vice president for Capgemini Procurement Services. “Struggling with bad usability and low levels of spend through eProcurement will now be history. The IBX Spend Capture Cloud will enable customers to truly improve their compliance and increase bottom line cost savings,” he added.

Capgemini is already delivering the IBX Spend Capture Cloud solution to a number of blue-chip companies including major companies in the airline, telecommunications, manufacturing and consumer goods and retail sectors.

By streamlining the procurement process, the new IBX Capture Spend Cloud will allow organizations to capture the benefit of on-line spending, which is often wasted due to lack of compliance with procurement standards. The solution will be available across all key markets including the United States, the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands and the Nordic countries.

The post Capgemini: IBX Spend Capture Cloud Online Procurement Solution appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

The Capgemini Group reports consolidated revenues of €2,378 million for the third quarter of 2011, an increase of 13.0% on published revenues of €2,105 million reported for the same period in 2010, with revenue growth mainly attributed to acquisitions by the Group during the past year.

This 4.7% growth in revenues on a like-for-like basis breaks down as follows:

• by business, the so-called “cyclical” activities (Consulting Services, Technology Services and Local Professional Services) continued to report sustained growth (+6.1% on average), with the greatest increase recorded by Technology Services (+7.2%). Outsourcing Services reported an average rise of 2.7%, while BPO enjoyed remarkable growth (+20%).
• by region, North America increased 5.0%; France – which retains its position as the Group’s leading country – reported improved revenue growth (+7.8%) on the first-half of the year; the United Kingdom and Ireland region, still affected by public sector spending cuts, reported more moderate growth (+1.3%), while the other regions reported average growth of 10.4% (12.4% for the Nordic countries). Benelux was the only region to report a contraction in revenues (-5.7%), reflecting the economic crisis which continues to affect the Netherlands.

Bookings in the Q3 2011 totaled €2,208 million: Outsourcing Services recorded a slight decline in bookings, while Consulting Services, Technology Services and Local Professional Services saw a 6.4% increase on average.

While maintaining a balance on recruitment between “historical” and “offshore” countries, the focus was on young graduates who accounted for half of all recruitments in the third quarter. As of September 30, 2011, The Group had 43,931 offshore employees (including 35,413 in India) representing 37% of the total current headcount of 117,428 employees.

Despite economic uncertainty in the coming quarters, The Capgemini Group maintains its objective for the 2011 fiscal year of 9 to 10% growth in revenues on published figures (and of at least 5% like-for-like), and an improvement in the operating margin rate of over 0.5 points on 2010.

The post Capgemini: Third Quarter 2011 Revenue Report appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

In keeping with Capgemini’s strategy to complement its footprint with selected expertise, the global leader in consulting, IT services and outsourcing recently announced its acquisition of the Order to Cash (OTC) business from US-based Vengroff, Williams & Associates, Inc. (and certain of its affiliates), a leader in the accounts receivable collections market worldwide.

The acquisition will enable Capgemini to build on its Finance and Accounting BPO services through enhanced offerings in the Order to Cash (OTC) market worldwide.

Run under the brand ‘VWA’, the acquisition of OTC brings over 300 VWA experts to Capgemini’s 12,000 skilled staff BPO organization.

“This acquisition is a perfect next-step for our growth strategy. It will further strengthen our global BPO offering through VWA’s domain knowledge, on-shore center capabilities and US presence,” commented Hubert Giraud, CEO Business Process Outsourcing at Capgemini. “Capgemini’s BPO service is focused on delivering the best outcomes and real benefits to our clients. VWA will bolster our offering in the Order to Cash arena, giving more value for our existing clients and a strong new entry point for new customers. Combined with VWA, Capgemini strengthens its position as a leading player in this field.”

Capgemini is a recognized leader in F&A BPO. Gartner positioned Capgemini in the Leaders Quadrant for Comprehensive F&A BPO, Global**. F&A has been the main growth engine for Capgemini’s BPO business, driving over 60% of its revenue in 2010.

OTC BPO services can help clients reduce revenue leakage, accelerate the cash-flow cycle and limit bad debt expense, outcomes increasingly demanded by clients. Capgemini will position itself to address these needs and deliver best in class accounts receivable functions to its clients worldwide. The OTC and collections BPO market size is expected to reach $31bn by 2012 and is growing by more than 10% per annum according to NelsonHall, an industryleading BPO analyst firm.

The post Capgemini: Acquisition Of OTC From Vengroff, Williams & Associates Inc. appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Capgemini recently opened its Smart Energy Centre of Excellence (COE) in Australia for its Energy and Utilities sector, located in the heart of the Melbourne central business district (CBD). It is part of an ongoing market leadership initiative aimed at improving awareness and understanding of today’s smart energy developments. The COE is equipped with examples of the latest smart energy operations in Australia and around the world, which will help demonstrate how local Energy and Utilities organisations can apply smart solutions to deliver value to their businesses.

The Energy and Utilities sector is a focus for Capgemini’s business in Australia. Capgemini is making investments to support its clients’ business and technology priorities. The Smart Energy COE will support Energy and Utilities clients through access to thought leadership, innovation and smart solutions leveraged from the global COEs in India, Europe, Nordics and North America and developed for the Australian marketplace. Local customers will benefit from reusable assets and collaborative methods to accelerate delivery of solutions across focus areas including Smart Grid, Smart Metering and Smart Home.

“The Energy and Utilities sector is important for Capgemini worldwide. We have a strong presence globally and our new Centre of Excellence in Australia complements our market leadership and will play squarely to help strengthen our solutions offerings,” said Perry Stoneman, Vice President and Global Leader of Capgemini’s Smart Energy Services line. “One of the major challenges Australia has with smart energy solutions is understanding how it might benefit the country; this new centre will help local companies tangibly understand the benefits for their business,” he added.

With more than 115,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2010 global revenues of EUR 8.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.
Learn more about us at www.capgemini.com.

The post Capgemini: First Centre of Excellence for Smart Energy Opens appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

A new partnership with Dassault will allow Capgemini to significantly widen its PLM integration offering for current clients in different industries such as aerospace, defense and automotive, as well as transport and energy. Patrick Longuet, Capgemini France Aerospace & Defense comments:

“Through this partnership, we are aiming to position ourselves as European leader in the PLM solution integration market in different sectors, in particular aerospace and defense. Our unique expertise as a global integrator, will be enhanced with greater PLM skills, plus expertise around Dassault Systèmes solutions to better meet clients’ needs. At first, this global partnership will focus on France and Europe.”

The signature of an alliance around the integration of Dassault Systèmes’ PLM Version 6 solutions was announced recently. This collaboration will accelerate the implementation and deployment of PLM solutions based on the value of Dassault Systèmes’ Version 6, an open online platform allowing an expanded user community to create, collaborate and experience products virtually in a 3D environment, throughout the innovation cycle, ensuring IP protection. It will also strengthen the capacity to integrate PLM technologies in more complex client environments, such as ERP applications, or proprietary application development.

With more than 115,000 people in 40 countries, Capgemini is one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2010 global revenues of EUR 8.7 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business and technology solutions that fit their needs and drive the results they want. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience™, and draws on Rightshore®, its worldwide delivery model.

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As an early participant in the SAP-MICROSOFT Unite Partner Connection program, which drives interoperability and collaboration among SAP, Microsoft Corp. and participating partners, Capgemini has re-launched its ERP+ solution portfolio and has created a dedicated development center in support of Duet® Enterprise software.

• Capgemini has already developed two sector-specific solutions integrated with Duet Enterprise. Capgemini Hiring Manager Portal 1.0 certified by SAP for integration with Duet Enterprise 1.0, simplifies and speeds up HR processes using one single application to automate the creation and approval of new jobs
• Capgemini Purchase Requisition Cockpit provides customers with high data quality and a streamlined business process, reducing the amount of manual work required in the purchase requisition process. It provides a quicker service by improving user experience and manual form processing through a user-friendly Web form and integrated workflow functionality. It also provides potential cost savings by reducing the need for staff requisition mailboxes and by simplifying the overall process, to realize time and staffing savings

As one of the few global partners with a dedicated sales and delivery team focused on interoperability of solutions from Microsoft and SAP, Capgemini was the first IT services provider to build core expertise with both onshore and offshore capabilities, to provide a dedicated portfolio of solutions called Capgemini ERP+, launched in 2009. Now using Duet Enterprise, a platform jointly developed by SAP and Microsoft as a foundation for interoperability between SAP applications and Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Office, Capgemini ERP+ provides enhanced services to work with business processes from SAP with front-end Microsoft collaborative platforms such as SharePoint 2010, Microsoft.NET and Microsoft Office 2010. It helps companies improve compliance, maximize user adoption, reduce complexity, increase business speed and provides more accessible and secure data.

The post Capgemini:Investment in Duet® Enterprise appeared first on Big4.com.

This week Big4.com brings you Deloitte’s Top 10 Ranking Of Best Companies For
Working Mothers; Ernst & Young’s Appointment of a Global Independent
Non-Executive, KPMG noting that US Corporate Tax Audit Activities Has Increased,
Capgemini’s Launch of its Online Procurement Solution; PwC Survey of Asian CEOs
and Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Award for LinkedIn Founders.

Each week Big4.com covers key news, events, happenings, opinions
and blogs relating to all the Big Four accounting and consulting firms. You can
view this video our website and on Big4.com’s channel on Youtube. So, let’s
start with this week’s round-up of the top news!

Deloitte’s Top 10 Ranking On List of Best Companies For Working
Mothers

Working Mother magazine’s survey of “100 Best Companies for
Working Mothers,” has again named Deloitte as one of the top ten. It’s the 18th
successive year Deloitte’s has been added to the magazine’s list and the third
time in a row.

The magazine highlighted Deloitte’s commitment to education and
training, praising investments in bold career-life initiatives such as Mass
Career Customization and voluntary sabbatical programs. Deloitte University
offers WINning new business, a curriculum providing high-potential senior
manager women with the tools to build strong client relationships and powerful
negotiation skills.

Ernst & Young’s Global Independent Non-Executive Appointed

Mrs. Lim Hwee Hua has been appointed as an independent
non-executive, one of five recently appointed by Ernst and Young. The Global
Advisory Council made the announcement noting that Mrs. Lim is a former
Singapore Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance
and Managing Director at Temasek.

The Singapore-based Asean Managing Partner for Ernst & Young,
Max Loh, commented saying that the appointment demonstrates the firm’s
commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, its perspectives and its markets. He
also noted Lim’s broad experience, external viewpoints and diverse
perspectives.

KPMG: US Corporate Tax Audit Activities
Increasing

A
recent KPMG survey of corporate tax executives shows more than one-third said
the total number of state tax audits in jurisdictions where they do business
increased in the past year. As well, 61 percent said federal tax dispute activity
had also risen, with these activities expected to increase over the next year. Frank
Lavadera, principal-in-charge of KPMG LLP’s Tax Dispute Resolution Services
Network noted that it was clear that taxing authorities are demanding greater
transparency and imposing more complex reporting requirements, while the IRS
are adding tax audit personnel.

Capgemini’s Online Procurement Solution Launched

Capgemini
has announced its IBX Spend Capture Cloud solution to help customers enhance
their procurement processes using an easy-to-deploy cloud system. The
company  is already delivering the
technology to a number of blue-chip companies including major firms in the
airline, telecommunications, manufacturing and consumer goods and retail
sectors. Through its CPO Survey 2010, it became clear many businesses hadn’t
realized the  potential of on-line
procurement, with 67% claiming that less than a fifth of their spend is through
eProcurement. Capgemini’s system has advantages like a pre-built integration
package.

PwC: CEOs Confident Of Future Growth In Asia Pacific Markets

PwC finds CEOs in the Asia-Pacific region are looking to expand in
Asia’s fast growing consumer markets. The CEOs surveyed remain confident that
the economy of the Asia-Pacific region will continue to prosper. This is
expected despite the weak US economic recovery, financial uncertainty in Europe
and the tsunami and earthquake that struck Japan earlier this year. Dennis
Nally, chairman of PwC International said the opportunities in the APEC
economies for the remainder of this decade will be different from the past 10
years as developing domestic Asian markets will replace low-cost manufacturing
exports as main driver of economic growth.

LinkedIn Execs Named Ernst & Young’s EOY 2011 Technology Award
Winners

Reid Hoffman, the co-founder and Executive Chairman of LinkedIn
Corporation, and its CEO, Jeff Weiner, have received the country’s most
prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. Hoffman and Weiner have been
named the Ernst & Young
National Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2011 Technology Award winners for their development of LinkedIn, the business
related social network that
revolutionizes the way professionals interact. Hoffman
and Weiner were recognized for creating
an innovative and highly successful social network site mainly used for
professional networking.

The post Check out our latest news video! (Nov 2011-3) appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Capgemini has reported Q3 2011 consolidated revenues of €2,378 million. Despite the economic environment predictions for the coming quarters, Capgemini Group maintains its objective for fiscal year 2011 of:

• 9 to 10% growth in revenues on published figures (and of at least 5% like-for-like)
• an improvement in the operating margin rate of over 0.5 points on 2010.

The 4.7% growth in revenues breaks down in the following manner:

• by business, the so-called “cyclical” activities (Consulting Services, Technology Services and Local Professional Services) continued to report sustained growth (+6.1% on average), with the greatest increase recorded by Technology Services (+7.2%). Outsourcing Services reported an average rise of 2.7%, while BPO enjoyed remarkable growth (+20%).
• by region, North America increased 5.0%; France – which retains its position as the Group’s leading country – reported improved revenue growth (+7.8%) on the first-half of the year; the United Kingdom and Ireland region, still affected by public sector spending cuts, reported more moderate growth (+1.3%), while the other regions reported average growth of 10.4% (12.4% for the Nordic countries). Benelux was the only region to report a contraction in revenues (-5.7%), reflecting the economic crisis which continues to affect the Netherlands.

Given the unfavorable trend in stock market prices in recent months, the redemption by the Group of its convertible bonds (“Oceane”) due January 2012, is now probable. Furthermore, in order to retain maximum financial flexibility, Cap Gemini S.A. signed a €500 million additional credit facility. The intention is to refinance this loan – when market conditions are deemed satisfactory – via a capital market transaction in order to further optimize its debt profile in terms of maturity.

The post Capgemini: Third Quarter Revenues Confirm Objectives For 2011 appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

In support of the SAP HANA™ platform, Capgemini launched a competency center recently at its global customer Business Information Management (BIM) Experience, the CUBE*, in Mumbai, India.

Paul Nannetti, Global Head of the BIM Service Line at Capgemini comments:

“We are delighted to open this new center specializing in SAP HANA and in-memory computing technology. In today’s highly-competitive business climate, immediate access to and analysis of all operational data ultimately determines the success of an organization. This center will further strengthen our data analytics capabilities, which is fundamental to helping enterprises leverage the rising volumes and speed of data in our increasingly global, mobile and social world. We will continue to focus and invest in Business Information Management to help customers unlock the power of their data.”

With the SAP HANA platform, complex analyses such as simulations and pattern recognition are now available in seconds, enabling sweeping innovations for business. Capgemini plans to create and build proof-of-concept solutions using SAP HANA at the CUBE to showcase capabilities across all industry sectors including Energy and Utilities, Retail, Healthcare and Life Sciences.

BIM is a key strategic growth area for Capgemini with strong demand from organizations looking for new strategies and techniques to retain, organize and gain insight from that critical asset: information. Capgemini was positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the leaders’ quadrant for Global Business Intelligence and Performance Management Service Providers**. Its global BIM service line was established in 2009 with the aim of serving its global customers better and brings together over 7,000 specialist consultants supporting a global BIM delivery model.

The post Capgemini: Center of Excellence Launched appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter

Capgemini has announced the launch of its IBX Spend Capture Cloud solution to help customers enhance their procurement processes using an easy to deploy cloud solution.

According to Capgemini’s CPO Survey 2010, many businesses have not yet realized the full potential of on-line procurement ,with 67% claiming that less than a fifth of their spend is through eProcurement. But cloud services have the advantage of being quick, easy-to-use, ready for use, and not requiring any data integration or customer installation. Capgemini’s IBX Spend Capture Cloud can be up and running in 90 days offering cost benefits of up to 50% compared to an on-premise implementation. The solution integrates with all major eProcurement systems and has pre-built integration package for SAP SRM.

Capgemini is already delivering the IBX Spend Capture Cloud solution to a number of blue-chip companies including major companies in the airline, telecommunications, manufacturing and consumer goods and retail sectors.

“Since we’ve started to use the IBX Spend Capture Cloud to procure consulting and other services, we have received a higher degree of contract compliance and we have the ability to easily and properly send requests to our suppliers. After 6 months we now have a more structured procurement process and our users are happy that the time from specifying our needs to ordering is much quicker”, says Jörgen Augustsson, Procurement Director at Saab.

The post Capgemini: Online procurement solution launched appeared first on Big4.com.

Check out our latest Big4 video now!

The post Check out our latest Big4 Video (Nov 2011-2) appeared first on Big4.com.

Capgemini has reported that sales have increased by 13% during the third quarter. The new revenues have increased $3.27 billion from a year ago. The IT services firm stated that much of the growth was due to increased efficiency from integrated acquisitions and business process contracts.

Earlier in the year, Capgemini stated that they would increase revenues by 9 to 10%. They expect to meet that target by the end of the year. Additionally, they intend to improve the efficiency of their business model and improve their operating margin by 0.5%.

Capgemini has been focused on improving profitability while demand for IT services remains weak. As the global economy faces tapered growth, Capgemini and its competitors have reason to be concerned. As other businesses continue to cut costs, Capgemini is doing whatever it can to bolster its bottom line.

The company’s primary strategy is centered around making emerging market acquisitions. Capgemini is targeting companies in Mexico, Turkey, Russia and Brazil. Capgemini announced in September that emerging markets have played a larger role in the profitability of many firms in the global economy. As regulations and industry changes take place, companies are forced to expand their markets.

Capgemini acquired a 55% stake in CPM Braxis a year ago. This merger has helped Capgemini gain access to the Brazil’s IT market, which makes up nearly half of the IT industry in Latin America.

The post Capgemini’s Third Quarter Sales Jump 13% appeared first on Big4.com.

Bill Cook has been appointed to lead Capgemini’s operations in the UK. As the new CEO, Cook will lead 1,100 IT professionals across the country. Additionally, he will oversee the work of 650 technology experts in Capgemini’s offices in India. Capgemini’s UK team is one of the largest providers of management and strategic consulting services in the country.

Cook has worked in Capgemini’s offices in the UK for 10 years. During that time, he has held several prominent roles such as chief financial officer and head of commercial management. Prior to his employment at Capgemini, Cook served as a senior partner at Ernst & Young.

One of Cook’s primary responsibilities will be helping businesses use digital technology to improve the way they function and deliver services. Despite the many advantages digitalization brings to organizations, the technology complicates the way they function and can make it more difficult to work within the constructs of existing business models.

Pierre-Yvos Cros, Capgemini’s Global CEO believes Cook will do a stellar job building his team. Cros is excited by all the opportunities available to Capgemini as it tackles the challenges of digitalization.

Cook has the background to deliver these services. Over the past 23 years, he has proven that he can deliver results as a management

The post Bill Cook Appointed Head of Capgemini Consulting Operations in UK appeared first on Big4.com.

On October 6, Capgemini was selected by Levi Strauss & Co., to manage its applications management work around enterprise business intelligence (BI) and data warehouse solutions. The agreement builds on Capgemini’s previous applications work with Levi Strauss & Co., which began in 2008.

“It became clear a few years ago that we needed a solution that would give us a holistic view of our data across regions, while allowing us to accurately analyze it. We are confident that our relationship with Capgemini will allow us to develop a world-class retail BI solution that will help us drive revenue and decrease costs across our business,” said Tammy Amirault, vice president Application Services, Levi Strauss & Co.

As a global apparel company, Levi Strauss & Co. leverages multiple BI and analytics systems to support its retail and wholesale business units. Under the terms of the agreement, Capgemini will work with Levi Strauss & Co. to develop and implement an integrated platform — including the SAP(R) BusinessObjects (TM) Business Intelligence (BI) platform 4.0 — designed to provide a single, global and broad based analysis of the data flowing within the enterprise.

“Very few systems integrators have the ability to support the development of such an intricate retail solution,” said Lanny S. Cohen, chief executive officer, Capgemini US LLC.

“Our global delivery model, experience with SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.0 and Teradata, and in-depth knowledge of the retail industry allow us to not only build, but deliver and support the type of complex BI environments that underpin large, global organizations, such as Levi Strauss & Co,” said Cohen.

Capgemini will work with alliance partners SAP and Teradata, and integrate their solutions to create and support a network that will allow Levi Strauss & Co. to maintain a high level of data efficiency throughout its organization.

Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeans-wear. As of February 27, 2011, the company operated 482 stores within 31 countries. Levi Strauss & Co.’s reported fiscal 2010 net revenues were $4.4 billion.

The post Big4.com Reports On Capgemini’s Latest Agreement With Levi Strauss & Co. appeared first on Big4.com.

Latest Big4 News Video (Click here to play!)

This week on Big4 Ernst & Young Names Stephen Catlin UK Entrepreneur of 2011; Deloitte Announces Strongest Growth Since 2008; Reports by KPMG and PwC; Drivers Jonas Deloitte Appointed Selling Agent For Roade One and Blisworth Nominees; and Ernst & Young Named “Best
Corporate Band”. Each week Big 4 covers key news, events, happenings,
opinions and blogs relating to all the Big Four accounting and consulting
firms. You can view this video our website and on Big4′s channel on Youtube.
So, let’s start with this week’s round-up of the top news!

Ernst & Young Names Stephen Catlin UK
Entrepreneur of 2011

Video Narrative:

Stephen Catlin, Chief Executive of International
Insurer, Catlin Group, has been named Entrepreneur Of The Year by Ernst &
Young. Catlin competed with 42 other business leaders from companies across the
UK, and will move on to compete with more than 50 other global finalists at the
Ernst &Young World Entrepreneur of The Year awards in Monte Carlo next
year. The Catlin Group has 52 offices, operating in 22 countries, employing
more than 1,600 people, with a turnover of £2.6billion.

Deloitte Announces Strongest Growth Since 2008

This month, Deloitte announced the strongest
revenue increase since 2008. Deloitte member firms experienced growth across
all three major geographic regions, led by exceptional results generated in
Asia Pacific and the Americas from a number of developing markets, and across
all functions and industry sectors. Commenting on the outstanding results,
Deloitte’s Global CEO, Barry Salzberg said, the results underscore the strength
and resilience of  the firm’s diversified
portfolio. Deloitte’s total workforce now comprises 182,000 professionals
worldwide. Deloitte expects to increase its total workforce to 250,000
professionals by Financial Year 2015.

KPMG Reports Expected Increased Spending On Cloud
Technology Next Year

In a recent survey conducted by KPMG, global
corporate IT executives whose companies use a Cloud strategy agree that
spending will rise increase next year, with 17 percent indicating Cloud
spending would exceed 20 percent of the total IT budget in 2012. Bryan Cruickshank,
KPMG head of Global IT Advisory, Management Consulting, said the Cloud is
transcending IT and widely impacts business operations. A third of survey
respondents said it would fundamentally change their business, which is
significant considering many organizations are still developing their Cloud
strategies.

PwC Reports Australia and Europe Strongest At
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

PwC reports Australia and Europe to be the
strongest global leaders at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The report
evaluates disclosures from over 404 of the world’s largest companies,
representing 81% of the Global 500. Australia’s Westpac Banking Corporation was
listed among the top 10 global companies on the report, together with other
high performers such as BMW, Sony Corporation and Philips Electronics.
Companies with a strategic focus on climate change provided investors with
almost double the average total return of the Global 500 from January 2005 to
May 2011.

Drivers Jonas Deloitte Appointed Selling Agent For
Roade One and Blisworth Nominees

Drivers Jonas Deloitte, one of the UK’s largest
commercial property advisers, has been appointed the selling agent for
properties held by Roade One Nominees Limited and Blisworth Nominees Limited. A
total of eighteen commercial properties make up the portfolio including
industrial, office, high street retail and leisure properties.

Deloitte partners, Phil Bowers and Neville Kahn,
were appointed Fixed Charge Receivers over the properties this summer. Deloitte
LLP is a UK member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private
company whose member firms are legally separate and independent entities.

1. 6.
   Headline:

Ernst & Young Named “Best Corporate Band”

Video narrative:

Earlier this month,eleven members of Ernst &
Young’s Advisory performance Improvement professionals earned the title “Best
Corporate Band” in America in the FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands.
“American PI”, a rock and roll band, was among eight finalists contending for
the title at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The event is held
each year to salute the best amateur, company-sponsored bands, and is presented
by the National Association of Music merchants, FORTUNE magazine and the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

The post Check out the latest Big4 Video News (Oct 2011-2) appeared first on Big4.com.

Earlier this month, Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, and Deutsche Telekom, one of the world’s leading telecommunications companies signed a five year business intelligence (BI) sourcing framework agreement.

The contract signed between Deutsche Telekom AG and Capgemini Deutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of Capgemini Group, will involve experts from Capgemini’s Global BI and Telecom practices. This agreement hopes to further consolidate IT services of the operating entity in Germany – Telekom Deutschland GmbH, by building a dedicated BI factory, as well as harmonizing
the BI systems of the group.

Capgemini is one of two vendors selected to support Telekom Deutschland GmbH.

Paul Nannetti, Global Head of Business Information Management at Capgemini said in a press release, “We are very pleased to be
selected as one of the two strategic partners for Business Intelligence at Telekom Deutschland GmbH. Our investments and focus on developing a differentiated approach to the delivery of BI programmes, combining consulting, technology and a scalable India centric delivery platform, have positioned Capgemini as a global leader in the provision of BI transformation services.”

Following last year’s merger of the two business units T-Home and T-Mobile within Deutsche Telekom, the new company Telekom
Deutschland GmbH aims to consolidate its business processes and IT systems and consolidate its services portfolio to create synergies.

Harmonization of the BI applications landscape is one of the largest and most complex projects. The interdisciplinary team has to eliminate heterogeneity’s and parallel systems, which have become redundant and embed the entire Data Warehousing in a new BI architecture. Capgemini will support in the planning stage and also undertake the long-term development of key components
of the BI landscape.

Telekom Deutschland GmbH gives special importance to achieving an appropriate balance between onshore as and offshore services.

The Capgemini global delivery model, Rightshore® has been designed to provide the right resources in the right place, enabling access to approximately 40,000 offshore IT experts.

Frank Kuehl, Senior Vice President and Head of BI & Data Management at Telekom Deutschland GmbH said, “We are facing a huge challenge in the area Business Intelligence because of the restructuring that happened last year. Capgemini convinced us particularly with their overall package of outstanding, regional and simultaneously globally reusable IT competency and
large offshore capacities at a good price-service ratio”.

The post Capgemini Signs 5 Year Framework Agreement With Deutsche Telekom appeared first on Big4.com.

By Theodora Filis, Big4.com – Editor

Paris, September 28, 2011, Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, announces its strategic relationship with Sybase and SAP.

Fernando Alvarez, vice president, and Mobile Solutions practice leader at Capgemini, said “We believe now is the time to expand into this market in cooperation with SAP and Sybase, leveraging our expertise and knowledge in mobile solutions.”

Capgemini will host mobile solutions powered by industry-leading Sybase® Managed Mobility technologies and offer them on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) basis. In addition, Capgemini and SAP AG intend to enter into an agreement to build differentiated mobility solutions, through which Capgemini plans to make mobility solutions from SAP available to customers.

According to IDC, the number of mobile workers worldwide will reach 1 billion by 2011, including nearly 75% of the US workforce. While many enterprise IT departments are quickly stepping up their support for new mobile devices, applications and operating systems including the recently announced iPhone4S. Most organizations, even large multi-national companies, do not have the resources to support complex mobile deployments given the intense rate of innovation within the mobile industry.

It is expected that by 2013, 80% of businesses will support a workforce using tablets, and by 2014 90% of organizations will support corporate application on personal devices.

“We are able to offer one of the most complete suites of SAP solutions available on premise or as a service, providing multiple options to meet customers’ needs from licensing to implementation, hosting and operations” said Mr. Alvarez.

Through the agreement with Sybase, Capgemini mobile solutions can be provided via an on-premise environment as well as a hosted environment, through the public or private cloud, including, mobile device management powered by Afaria®, and mobile enterprise application platform services and associated mobile applications built upon Sybase Unwired Platform.

As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 172,000 customers (includes customers from the acquisition of Sybase) to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably.

Mr. Alvarez explained that Capgemini will provide mobile end-to-end solutions through simple monthly fees covering mobility software from SAP, hosting and application support that will benefit customers by reducing levels of complexity associated with mobility; allowing customers to leverage existing technology investments in SAP solutions; accelerate customer ROI through real-time; reduce risks from custom program development; and avoid drawbacks of proprietary IT applications.

Capgemini and SAP plan to develop a structured go-to-market model aimed at promoting greater cooperation between their sales teams. Capgemini and SAP intend to leverage service offerings from Capgemini in support of high-value mobile applications from SAP. These may include the SAP® Mobile Sales application, Sybase® Mobile Workflow application for SAP Business Suite, SAP® Mobile Service application, inventory management, materials management and warehouse management applications, as well as point-of-sales solutions for key vertical markets such as consumer products, oil and gas, manufacturing and retail.

Sybase, an SAP company, is an industry leader in delivering enterprise and mobile software to manage, analyze and mobilize information. Mr. Alvarez and Chris McClain, senior vice president, Global Mobility and Sybase Solutions, SAP,both agree that Mobility is a real game changer for this enterprise. “Working with strategic partners like Capgemini is critical to helping SAP unlock this value for our customers. We look forward to leveraging Capgemini’s mobility expertise to accelerate adoption of mobility solutions from SAP,” said Mr. McClean in a press release.

Capgemini has more than 20 years’ experience in providing mobile technology and solutions and has partnered with SAP on a variety of mobile initiatives for more than 14 years. It offers standards-based enterprise mobile software products and best practices that fully leverage the functionalities of SAP® Business Suite software for a number of industries from consumer products and retail, automotive, aerospace and defense, telecommunications through to utilities, pharmaceuticals and healthcare.

Capgemini was an SAP Pinnacle Award winner in 2010 and 2011 and has over 11,500 resources in support of SAP solutions and 22 delivery centers worldwide to bring solutions to over 2,500 customers globally. Capgemini was one of the first companies to achieve SAP certification as a global provider of cloud services.

The post Capgemini’s Fernando Alvarez Talks To Big4.com About Sybase and SAP appeared first on Big4.com.

By Kalen Smith, Big4.com Blogger

On September 23 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) signed a contract with Capgemini to provide its IT services. The DWP has decided to use Capgemini and IBM as providers of its IT application services. The two firms will play a key role in helping the department save money.

Capgemini’s contract is for 70 million pounds. The French IT services company will help the DWP implement IT services more quickly. The contract will be carried out over seven years. The DWP may ask Capgemini to provide between 5 and 10 million pounds worth of services a year.

The exact amount of services will vary depending on the DWP’s needs in a given year. A spokeswoman for the DWP says the figures in the contracts should not be taken at face value. The services will only amount to that figure if the DWP needs 70 billion pounds worth of services.

The DWP’s decision to work with Capgemini and IBM is a little unusual. Generally, the government wants to help small and medium sized businesses and break the oligopoly held by larger companies. In fact, the Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude said “We will end the oligopoly of big business supplying government IT by breaking down contracts into smaller, more flexible projects.”

Both Capgemini and IBM have long-standing relationships with the DWP. The two contracts are the beginning of a new long-standing partnership between the DWP and the two companies.

Capgemini promises great results. They will provide IT services that will help the DWP improve productivity.

A spokeswoman for the DWP mentioned the benefits the contracts with IBM and Capgemini will provide. She says the services provided will support the delivery of services to citizens in the UK. She says the DWP is pleased with the contracts and expects great things from IBM and Capgemini.

The post Capgemini Receives DWP Contract for IT Services appeared first on Big4.com.

By Theodora Filis, Big4.com Editor

Capgemini will sponsor the 8th Annual Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE) USA 2011 event, October 24-25.The event will focus on how to increase adherence through effective engagement and communication with patients— looking at the bigger picture, where the patient is at the center of everything they do.

Eyeforpharma believes that bridging the patient adherence gap is a ‘must do’ for pharmaceutical companies to protect their top line while transforming themselves from product-centric to patient-centric organizations.

Thomas Forissier, Capgemini Consulting, will present the findings from its annual research report on ways to practically improve patient compliance, including:

• What has and has not worked in patient adherence initiatives in the past
• How is the environment for patient adherence changing
• What factors should pharmaceutical companies consider in improving their patient adherence programs

   

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Latest Big4 Video

PwC Names Maria Moats Chief Diversity Officer

Maria Moats, was named PwC’s Chief Diversity Officer, last week. She succeeds Niloufar Molavi, who has been appointed as PwC’… More »s new US Energy leader and Market Managing Partner for Greater Houston. In addition to her role as Chief Diversity Officer, Ms. Moats will continue as the engagement leader on a New Jersey-based retail and consumer client. Ms. Moats has more than 20 years of accounting experience and has been a trusted adviser to many clients, including Fortune 500 companies.

Ernst & Young Reports Access To Reserves Biggest Risk For Oil and Gas Sector

Ernst & Young reported access to reserves as the biggest current risk for oil and gas companies. Uncertain energy policy continues to pose a significant risk, ranking it in the top three risks for the third year in a row. For the first time, the report also looks at the top ten opportunities for the sector, with “frontier” acreage ranked number one. Growing energy demand alongside a tightening of access to conventional supply and advances in technology, are making unconventional sources more commercially viable.

KPMG Australia Shows A Rise In Investor And Insurance Fraud

KPMG Forensic’s fifth Fraud Barometer shows a rise in investor and insurance fraud. Australian criminal courts show financial institutions continue to be targeted. An important finding for organizations is that management continue to do more damage by fraud than lower level employees. It was reported that management stole on, on average, $3.4 million per fraud, while employees stole on average $1.5 million. Two thirds of frauds against financial institutions involved insurance fraud, and five cases of large insurance fraud – the highest number in 3 years.

Capgemini Chosen As EnterCard’s Partner To Support Their Rapid Growth Ambitions

Capgemini and EnterCard have entered into a five year partnership, estimated €30million. Through the agreement Capgemini will provide end-to-end responsibility for application development and management including testing services. EnterCard Group was founded as a joint venture between Swedbank and Barclays Bank in 2005, with clear ambitions to become a market leader in the Nordic region. EnterCard currently has more than 1.6 million customers and 11 strategic partnerships with approximately 350 employees in offices in Stockholm, Oslo, Trondheim and Copenhagen.

Latest Survey By Deloitte Shows Swiss Finance Chiefs Fear Euro Debt Crisis

The debt crisis in Europe is having an increasingly negative effect on the mood of Swiss financial officers. Although, according to the latest survey by Deloitte, a majority of survey respondents remain optimistic about the economic outlook in Switzerland. Rolf Schonauer, partner at Deloitte, said it remains to be seen how the markets will react long term.  This is the eighth quarterly survey conducted by Deloitte of chief financial officers of leading Swiss companies.This survey was carried out from June 6 to June 27, 2011.

Accenture Launches Global Social Media Innovation Center in Silicon Valley

Last week, Accenture announced the opening of the Accenture Enterprise Social Media Innovation Center. Dedicated to the development of innovative social media solutions, the center will help clients more effectively use social media capabilities in the enterprise. Based in the Accenture Technology Lab in Silicon Valley, the Accenture Enterprise Social Media Innovation Center will work with salesforce.com as well as other providers. Along with satellite Accenture Innovation Centers, the center will also host client workshops to help them create a value-driven vision for social media in the enterprise.

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By Theodora Filis, Big4.com Editor

This week, from September 12-14, industry experts and peers will be in attendance at the Gartner Outsourcing & Vendor Management Summit 2011. This event provides an in-depth exploration of the significant developments and trends shaping vendor and strategic sourcing management practices, as well as the sourcing marketplace.

The Summit provides CIOs, IT Directors, Sourcing Executives, Procurement Managers & Vendor Managers with a useful set of best practices, frameworks and tools to create long-term impact back at the office.

One of the Silver Sponsors of this week’s Gartner event is Capgemini, a key IT services, consulting, and outsourcing firm with 91,000 people in 36 countries.

The event will feature comprehensive tracks to drill down on data management with track sessions tagged to help create a customized agenda based on IT role, experience level and key focus.

This week’s summit focuses on how to navigate market forces and apply new approaches and objectives for successful outsourcing; establish the governance and strategic management disciplines that bring needed order to the many moving parts of your sourcing ecosystem; uncover the disruptive trends that are reshaping the future of IT services; move beyond cost take out to business results oriented outcomes; earn how to improve control, reduce risk and drive more value from your vendors; and uncover efficiencies at a time when every budget dollar counts.

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By Theodora Filis, Big 4 Editor

This summer, Capgemini, one of the world’s leading providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, made a $50,000 donation to the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross to aid with recovery efforts in Joplin, MO and neighboring communities.

“Capgemini’s generous support will enable the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the Red Cross to continue its long-term recovery efforts in Joplin,” said Debi Meeds, regional chief executive officer, Red Cross Greater Ozarks Chapter. “We are grateful for Capgemini’s donation and touched by their concern for the community of Joplin.”

The Red Cross coordinated disaster relief immediately after the tornado, which touched down in Missouri, on May 22, but has transitioned from disaster relief to long-term recovery, providing disaster recovery assistance to Joplin through a localized Resource Center. The center is made possible through contributions like the one provided by Capgemini, and will provide health services, mental health assistance, and recovery case management to the community.

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This week Big4 brings you news covering Shaun Crawford’s appointment as Ernst & Young’s Global Insurance Leader, a new report from Deloitte on 4G products and services, KPMG’s survey on regulations and the economy, a new survey by PwC on global metals M&A, Capgemini sponsoring eyeforpharma 2011, and Accenture’s contract with Australia’s Department of Health and Aging. Each week Big 4 covers key news, events, happenings, opinions and blogs relating to all the Big Four accounting and consulting firms. You can view this video our website and on Big4′s channel on Youtube. So, let’s start with this week’s round-up of the top news!

Shaun Crawford Appointed Ernst & Young Global Insurance Leader

Shaun Crawford, has been appointed to lead Ernst
& Young’s Global Insurance practice and Global Insurance Center based in
London and New York. Mr. Crawford will be responsible for heading up a team of
over 5000 insurance specialists across the world. Shaun has been in the
financial services industry for 26 years having worked both in consulting or
line management with the majority of leading London-based insurers and retail
banks. Until recently he led Ernst & Young’s UK Insurance sector as well as
their Insurance Advisory practice across Europe, the Middle East, India and
Africa.

Deloitte Reports New 4G Products and Services Could Drive Additional Growth

 A new Deloitte report states that wireless
telecommunications companies in the United States could invest 25 to 53 billion
US dollars in fourth generation cellular wireless networks between 2012 and
2016, triggering 73 to 151 billion dollars in gross domestic product growth.
Additional growth could occur as high-tech companies create new mobile
broadband products and services. The Deloitte report, investigates the economic
dynamics surrounding 4G technology and explains how the U.S. can maintain the
global leadership position in mobile broadband innovation it won during the 3G
era.

KPMG Survey Find Regulations and the Economy Hampering Growth

According to industry executives surveyed by KPMG,
the dual impact of the persistently weak economic environment and new
regulations keeps investment management companies on a slow growth track. While
the survey revealed the biggest concern for management executives was around
regulatory and legislative pressures, their views about the overall economic
recovery was equally gloomy. Nearly half of those surveyed said they believe
that relationships between investment managers and investors have improved.
Regulatory and internal control needs is expected to represent the second largest
increase in spending over the next year.

According to PwC Global Metals M&A  Activity Has Increased

PriceWaterhouse Coopers said factors that
companies need to consider when pursuing deals out of their home markets
include vetting third parties, determining the appropriate level of due
diligence, and navigating disclosure requirements for certain resources like
conflict minerals. Organizations are facing intensified risks in regions where
corruption is pervasive and corrupt practices are long-standing, even accepted
as normal. A global call for increased anti-corruption initiatives has
intensified, as governmental bodies in the US,UK, India, Japan, and elsewhere
ask their regulatory agencies to take a stronger stance.

Capgemini Sponsors EyeForPharma’s Key Account Management USA 2011 Event.

Capgemini Consulting is proud to sponsor
eyeforpharma’s Key Account Management USA 2011 event where attendees will learn
how to use KAM to revolutionize their pharma sales strategy and increase their
company’s profitability. Pharmaceutical manufacturers have realized the need to
engage strategic accounts (IDNs/Large Physician Groups) and form beneficial B2B
relationships in order to gain and retain competitive advantage. Capgemini said
Key Account Management capabilities, account-centric organizational designs,
customized clinical pathway solutions and enabling technologies are the pillars
to success when implementing an account-centric engagement model.

Australia Selects Accenture to Build Personal E-Health System

Australia’s Department of Health and Aging
contracted Accenture to build their Personal E-Health System as a result of the
company’s global PCEHR implementation experience and ability to tailor
Accenture’s Connected Health Solutions to the specific needs of the Australian
healthcare system, along with the Accenture’s previous experience in executing
large scale programs for the Australian government. The Accenture team will be
supported by Oracle in the management of patient records and Orion Health for
the consumer and clinician portals, while Telstra will provide the Cloud IO
hosting model through the Telstra and Accenture alliance.

The post Big4 Video News: PwC, Accenture, KPMG, Ernst & Young appeared first on Big4.com.

Following last month’s Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2011, Capgemini and Microsoft announced a global plan to offer accelerated cloud services in 22 countries, leveraging Capgemini’s worldwide expertise in consulting, technology and outsourcing services to help clients deploy solutions on the Windows Azure platform.

According to Gartner, Inc., the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company, worldwide cloud services revenue is projected to reach $148.8 billion in 2014. With growth in IT spending projected to continue through 2012, enterprises are increasingly investing in cloud services that are proven to quickly help grow their business.

Microsoft and Capgemini are already working with the Dutch Police to deploy a “Virtual Police Service” on the Windows Azure platform to promote better information sharing amongst agencies and introduce citizen support tools that will enable citizens to become a part of the greater effort to combat crime.

Ron Tolido, VP and CTO Applications Continental Europe spoke with us about Capgemini’s strategy and specific applications for Windows Azure that include financial services, the public sector and energy & utilities. In addition to Microsoft, Capgemini works with partners such as Amazon Web Services, Google, and IBM to offer a rich portfolio of cloud services and operates a Cloud Computing Center of Excellence to help companies integrate cloud into their business strategies.

Capgemini and Microsoft will jointly invest in sales, technical training and various marketing activities. Together the firms have agreed to produce a future global study into the issues of data quality, security and sovereignty in the cloud. Capgemini will also train 1,500 architects and developers globally on the Windows Azure platform , develop a dedicated offshore center of expertise by building up the Windows Azure Center of Excellence in Mumbai, India, migrate selected solutions to the Windows Azure platform , and actively drive ecosystems of third-party suppliers of Windows Azure-based solutions in targeted sectors.

As part of the agreement, Capgemini will market and deliver services around Windows Azure, Microsoft’s cloud platform, mobilizing Capgemini’s full lifecycle capabilities in orchestrating, designing, developing and running cloud-based application services.

“Capgemini already has a very strong alliance with Microsoft and this further strengthens our relationship. We have a long history of customer collaboration and deep sector specific expertise, and Microsoft offers innovative solutions to meet customer needs in the quickly growing domain of the cloud. Together we are well positioned to deliver cloud services that will help customers keep ahead of the technology curve, while at the same time reducing costs,” said John Brahim, Capgemini’s Application Services Europe Deputy CEO.

Joint customers including the Dutch police are already piloting the Windows Azure platform, backed with services by Capgemini.

Mr. Willem Broer, Program Director VPK, from the Dutch Police said, “Police officers identified a gap between police legacy systems and the growing trend for app stores and cloud computing. To counter this, we wanted to transition to a cloud-based model for better information sharing, both internally and externally. Capgemini has been our partner for designing the architectural framework (both long and short term solutions) in order to decide upon a roadmap for innovation. To connect our legacy systems with new web parts, Microsoft’s Windows Azure was a trusted choice for our technology management program. The program, called ‘Virtual Police Service’ (VPS), is aimed at a new style of policing, making use of the latest tools for analyzing data and apps for supporting daily routine. Policemen can use mobile devices to facilitate knowledge sharing and practical communication via private and public networks. The Internet portal is currently being piloted among police, safety professionals and civilians in order to support a multi-agency approach. Because safety is an issue for the whole society an important part is the introduction of citizen support tools, so citizens can use apps to help the government in controlling and combating organized crime.”

As a business priority for both firms, the joint plan will offer Windows Azure solutions across 22 countries starting with the UK, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, France, Belgium and Brazil. There will be targeted market offers across sectors including financial services, the public sector and energy & utilities. The Windows Azure platform delivers highly cost-effective development and deployment options on a flexible platform that offers increased speed to market. The joint plan will also provide advice to businesses on how to develop a cohesive, enterprise-class cloud strategy, giving new alternatives to deal with legacy and M&A challenges. Capgemini will furthermore work with Microsoft as an ecosystem coordinator among software providers that have created solutions on the Windows Azure platform for specific markets.

“Our mutual customers will benefit from this joint plan with Capgemini to offer flexible cloud business solutions to customers through the Windows Azure platform,” said Doug Hauger, General Manager for Windows Azure at Microsoft. “The Windows Azure platform minimizes the need for infrastructure investments. Applications developed on Windows Azure can be deployed rapidly with the reliability and security that’s essential for the enterprise. Microsoft is committed to continued investment in cloud solutions, and will work with Capgemini to facilitate the deployment of cloud solutions for customers around the world.”

–
Theodora Filis
www.dfilis.blogspot.com

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Earlier this month, Capgemini Brasil signed a thirteen-year agreement with Brazilian conglomerate Grupo Algar. This deal highlights Capgemini’s growing presence in Latin America, following last year’s CPM Braxis acquisition, and together with the recent wins from the Hilti Corporation and Nokia Siemens, underscore Capgemini’s ability to continuously deliver value its clients can measure in a competitive landscape.

We had an opportunity to chat with Claude Hartridge, Global Head of Sales, Business Process Outsourcing Capgemini, about this major win for Capgemini in Latin America, and what is perhaps the longest contract term in the history of BPO, following several months of competitive bidding.

Both Capgemini and Grupo Algar view this deal as a long term relationship but, Mr. Hartridge cautions, it is not something you should do casually. A number of different terms were discussed, as short as seven years and as long as thirteen-years. A thirteen-year agreement gives Algar a certainty of pricing into the future, and a long term plan that allows Capgemini to implement a number of improvements over the years.

“So it’s by mutual agreement, obviously supported by both organizations,that we entered into this long term contract. Under the right conditions and with the right kind of client or relationship, the long term contracts are just not a problem. They have flexibility to change the contract if they want to, but it’s not without some financial consequences. There is a long term commitment on their part to stick with us as their supplier. We believe very sincerely that the marketplace in Brazil is going to be significant for Capgemini and BPO in particular” said Mr. Hartridge.

Gustavo Guimarães, Algar Agro CFO said, “We were impressed by Capgemini’s collaborative approach and their cultural fit with our business. Capgemini’s capabilities in managing multi-process projects especially in Finance & Accounting and tax were also a key factor for us. They have demonstrated their commitment by supporting us in all areas of our business in Brazil.”

The Grupo Algar group currently controls companies, organized into 3 business units: technology & telecommunications, agribusiness, and services. As part of the agreement Capgemini will provide business process outsourcing services, with around 150 staff using Oracle and BPOpen®* solutions from its Brazil delivery centers. The project will include standardization of processes and service levels across two Algar business units and nine of its companies, covering Agribusiness, Aviation, Security, Technology and Media. The aim is to increase productivity by over 45% in addition to improving quality and flexibility of services to keep up with Algar’s expected growth. This will be made possible through Capgemini BPO technology and its delivery network of more than 1,000 people in Brazil.

“The challenge”, said Mr. Hartridge, “to us, and perhaps any supplier, is the business case built in Latam from the suppliers side. How do we make a profit doing it? And, from the client side, where there is not great labor arbitrage and very specific language requirements, primarily Portuguese, how does the supplier demonstrate value? So how do you assess a business case, and how do you justify doing it, with Capgemini or any other company?”

Mr. Hartridge continued, “We feel we have differentiated ourselves because we don’t just do it on cost. I have a little saying that I use which is “1Q & 5C’s” the 1 Q is Quality and the 5 C’s are Control, Compliance, Consistency, Consolidation, and Cost savings. We try to keep those facets in balance with any client or prospect that we’re talking with. Perhaps there’s not significant cost savings to be achieved, but there is significant gain and, perhaps rationalization or minimization of the risk when you have better control and compliance and you are able to leverage the way we can with a BPO.”

David Poole, Vice President and Head of Sales, Marketing & Innovation Business Process Outsourcing, Capgemini said “With the combination of our globally recognized capabilities, market knowledge, Rightshore® delivery model, and suite of tools and technology, including the BPOpen® tool, Capgemini will aim to deliver savings, service improvements and standardization. These services will help Algar to grow by providing a secure and efficient platform which focuses on their core business processes. We are proud to be partnering with Algar and look forward to collaborating in this important initiative. We are convinced that Brazil’s economic outlook makes it an excellent place for Capgemini BPO to continue to
grow its presence in South America.”

Capgemini’s expertise is recognized in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) with a solution portfolio that spans Finance & Accounting, Customer Operations Management, Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Human Resources and services for banking & Insurance sector. As part of Capgemini’s Rightshore® delivery network, BPO professionals provide services to clients worldwide 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in over 36 languages, from centers located in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Guatemala, India, Philippines, Poland, Sweden and the United States.

Capgemini is a recognized leader in BPO in Latin America and Brazil, has more than 2,000 BPO professionals managing BPO processes in Latin America and 12.000 globally.

“We’re always faced with competitive environments”, said Mr. Hartridge, “I’m never concerned about competing. Being able to show our assets we feel really differentiate us from the competition and those are things the clients are interested in. I’m very excited about it.”

The post We Talk With Capgemini On A Key BPO Agreement with Grupo Algar appeared first on Big4.com.

The 3/11/11 devastating earthquake in Northeastern Japan created a human tragedy in the country and deep damage to the region. But how much did it affect business in the short term? Capgemini Consulting using the latest edition of its Global Trade Flow Index now shows that global trade flow levels declined by 3% in Q1-2011. This index tracks the trade of goods and services based on trade and market-related parameters from 23 top countries in terms of global trade.

The earthquake led to a 8.6% decrease in Japanese GDP in Q1 2011, reduction in its foreign market export of 29% and domestic market by 7% on a quarter-on-quarter basis. Australian trade volumes fell 7%, Korea dropped 4%, US 3% and China 2%. But Russian GDP actually increased 4.7% quarter-on-quarter as oil and gas prices rose.

Apart from the earthquake, China retains its position as global leader in overall trade volumes, beating previous forecasts that the US would regain its leadership position. While China’s total trade volumes increased 3% from Q4-2010 to Q1-2011, US total trade volumes declined 1% from $280bn (Q4 2010) to $278bn (Q1 2011) showing negative growth (1%). In the Eurozone, rising consumer spending, supported by the lagged effects of government policy stimulus packages, has triggered gradual but sustained growth in key markets.

Capgemini feels Q2 2011 world trade flow levels will grow due to a predicted rise in Japan’s import levels together with a shift in exports to Japan’s competitors but inflation poses a risk.

The post Capgemini: How Much Did The Japan Earthquake Really Affect Global Trade? appeared first on Big4.com.

Chris Nelson, Big4.com

We knew this was going to be big, and there was so much buzz about the first social media company to go public that something had to happen on the first day.

And it did, NYSE:LNKD stock doubled from its offering price of $42-$45 to end the day at $97, which on about 100 million shares outstanding values the company at nearly $10 billion.

That is 50 times 2010 sales, and 650 times the 2010 profits. That’s a P/E of nearly 650, which would put it likely as the most expensive stock in the world.

Did LinkedIn leave money on the table? Analysts can argue that LinkedIn could have easily priced the stock at $80 and still have it fully subscribed. Which means that the company left $300 million it could have easily taken into its treasury. Not that the $300 million it raked in was bad, but $600 million is even better.

And now to another metric. What is the value per user of LinkedIn?

$10 billion by 100 million members indicates each member is worth $100.

We remain slightly skeptical about the 100 million figure, based simply on our experience.

Our group Big Four Professionals and Alumni Network (Big4.com) with 50,000+ members is now one of the 50 largest groups on LinkedIn, and is the LARGEST corporate and LARGEST alumni group on LinkedIn.

Wonder what market capitalization would be for our group??!! At $100 per person discounted to even half at $50 per internal group member, the value would be 50,000 * $50 or $2.5 million!!!

The post NYSE:LNKD Hot IPO Gets $10 Billion Market Cap. Our LinkedIn Group Is Largest Corporate appeared first on Big4.com.

While this is a small acquisition for the $11.5 billion consulting giant, it provides an interesting insight into Capgemini’s growth strategy and vision to become a leader in this fast-growing space.

We had the pleasure of discussing this acquisition with Paul Nannetti, global leader of Capgemini’s Business Information Management (BIM) service line. According to Mr. Nannetti, Capgemini’s BIM service revenues have grown at a phenomenal 40% growth rate from 2009 to 2010, with expectations to continue to grow 20-25% in the coming years. This growth is a result of robust client demand matched with the firm’s top-notch breadth and service level.

The BIM service line helps clients effectively capture, manage, report and analyze a variety of information which is resident all across the enterprise in a holistic manner. Capgemini BIM has a global footprint to help multinationals – over 7,000 dedicated consultants of which 2,000 are based in the India Center of Excellence, enable the firm to offer cost-effective yet leading-edge client solutions.

Mr. Nannetti points out that organizations over the years have made extensive investments in technology and applications, thus creating a lot of internal data. Despite this high volume of data, many organizations are unable to extract useful information and insightful analytics for decision making. To address this, organizations are investing to obtain complete views of data related to individual customers, suppliers, and products to realize seamless integration across departments, real-time updates, and increasingly to integrate internal and external data. Clients are investing in BIM and BA systems to fully leverage this data to create insights into the past as well as clear indications for decision making and future actions.

The business case for initiatives to improve information reporting can be very strong, encouraging investment in this area. Such reinvestments translate into revenues for the BIM practice. Noticing this trend, vendors like SAP and Oracle are moving quickly to incorporate specific analytic modules in their application suites.

With a view to quickly scale-up on external talent, capabilities and clients, Capgemini’s Nannetti correctly identified BICG as a top vendor with good skills, reputation and deep expertise in implementing Oracle BI and EPM. In 2008, BICG was awarded the Oracle BI/EPM Implementation Partner of The Year Award. And in a rapidly-evolving BI marketplace, an acquisition could quickly create synergies that would take much longer to develop internally. BICG was also facing client demand for a larger footprint, an established global presence and lower delivery costs provided by an offshore platform. Now with Capgemini providing a large pool of lower cost Indian resources, BICG can tackle larger projects more efficiently. Nannetti made clear that synergy was available to both parties and thus this was a friendly transaction.

For Capgemini, which is targeting the top echelon in BI technology, this is an important step to address a portfolio gap in the US. Mr. Nannetti indicates more acquisitions are quite likely for Capgemini, especially in higher-growth emerging markets, and for solid intellectual property supporting the company’s growth strategy. In France, the recent Avantias acquisition help meet the demand for the rapid growth in the French market. And the BICG is a more recent example of such a suitable candidate.

Capgemini’s Nannetti has lofty goals for its BIM practice and Capgemini is not averse to complementing its global reach, deep internal expertise and solid technology partnerships with selective acquisitions.

The post We Talk With Capgemini on BIM, the BICG Acquisition and Future Plans appeared first on Big4.com.

John Fowler, Big4.com

Capgemini Group just reported its Q1-2011 revenues of €2,350 million, up a solid 14.5% from Q1-2010 with a like-for-like basis growth of 6.4%. Why this big difference? Tons of acquisitions in the last year, especially a big one in Brazil of CPM Braxis, which accounted for 4.2% of the difference.

On a like-for-like basis (at constant Group structure and exchange rates),

By service line:

Technology Services up 9.5%, due to financial services. Local Professional Services up 6.7%, Consulting Services up moderate +1.2% and Outsourcing Services up reasonable 3.8%. Clearly Technology Services was the star, but Consulting Services also started to expand after a period of zero-to-no growth.

By region:

North America up a good 10.2%, France up 7.4%. UK, Ireland and Benelux generally flat, and other regions up a sterling 12.3%. Several countries had double-digit organic growth and CPM Braxis surged 19%.

Q1-2011 bookings were €2,422 million, up 5.4% on Q1-2010. Consulting Services, Technology Services and Local Professional Services were up +12.5% with book-to-bill ratio of 1.09 for the Group as a whole and 1.38 for North America alone.

Capgemini recruited an amazing 9,000 employees in Q1-alone “balanced between “offshore” and “onshore” employees” with total 112,127 employees as at March 31, 2011, up an amazing 20% in one year, including 41,344 offshore employees (33,510 in India).

For outlook, Capgemini confirmed FY 2011 revenue growth of 9-10% and an increase in the operating margin rate of between 0.5 and 1 point compared to 2010, with a gradual improvement in the operating margin rate throughout the fiscal year.

For Paul Hermelin, Chief Executive Officer of Capgemini Group noted “Our good performance confirms the return to a steady rate of growth, already witnessed at the end of last year. This growth is primarily driven by the success of our major global service lines which focus on the most promising sectors of the market, as well as a recruitment drive enabling us to adapt our capacities in line with the requirements of our clients. Furthermore, this growth highlights the success of the active targeted acquisitions policy implemented since 2010.”

So several things to note here:

1. Strong revenue growth shows that core business is strong and solid. Growth in Consulting service line indicative of discretionary consulting spend by clients

2. Multiple acquisitions last year show M&A confidence plus intent to grow inorganically and capture new markets. In addition, Capgemini announced acquisition of US based Business Intelligence Consulting Group

3. Look at that hiring, 9,000 in Q1 alone, really showing that management is gearing up for new projects and perhaps hiring in advance of those strong booking

4. US up big, perhaps this is where the surprise is in terms of growth

5. Stock generally flat on announcement. HSBC was looking for sales of EUR 2.280 billion, so the actuals of EUR 2.350 billion were ahead of this analyst. Accenture revenues, by contrast, were up close to 18% and it did raise outlook. HSBC thinks stock should go to EUR 50 but likely

6. Company affirms 2011 target but did not raise

7. Investors perhaps satisfied with results but not ecstatic, indicating why buyers did not rush into stock (as with previous blowout quarters)

This was certainly a good result and one that we believe the market will recognize over time and stock likely to rise in the coming quarters.

The post Capgemini (CAP.PA) Q1-2011 Shows Solid Growth, Hiring Boom, Hyperactive M&A. Outlook Confirmed appeared first on Big4.com.

In less than 10 days, Capgemini will reveal its results for the first quarter of 2011. In its 2010 full year earnings release it said that 2011 revenues will grow 9% to 10% from 2010 and margins will improve 0.5% to 1.0% from 2010, though this improvement will be realized through the full year of 2011.

Investors are expecting (average of multiple stock analysts) FY2011 first half revenues of EUR 4.619 billion and EPS of EUR 1.09 per share, and full year FY 2011 revenues of EUR 9.526 billion and EPS of EUR 2.57 per share.

HSBC Global Research is looking for Q1-2011 revenues of EUR 2.280 billon, up 3.5% year over year slightly lower than the consensus forecast of 3.85 year over year. What’s propelling their optimism: (1) Accenture’s blow-out Q2-2011 quarterly revenues on 24 March (up a solid 18%) and (2) CEO Paul Hermelin’s confirmation of a positive trend at the end of 2010 has carried into Jan and Feb 2011. They are enthused by the acquisitions recently of two French companies, and more to come. With this, they are raising target price of the stock from Eur 43 to Eur 50, and they do expect Q1-2011 results to put additional wind under the stock, despite the fact that the stock has already done exceedingly well. The stock is rated Overweight.

Natixis is maintaining its target price at Eur 41.50 but are more confident on 2011 full year revenues. But they are indicating that Q1-2011 revenues could be a little stronger than the trend indicated in Feb 2011, though they caution that Accenture’s results may not spill over that easily to Capgemini. The stock is rated Neutral.

Clearly, investors are cautiously optimistic, with Accenture’s recently released results painting a strong picture for demand, but EURO versus Dollar FX risk, ability to increase headcount and potentially tough outsourcing market posing some risks.

In any case, the results will be fully known in 10 days and settle investors’ expectations one way or the other. And then they can start to worry about Q2 and the full year. It appears that an investor’s mentality is never wihout care.

The post Capgemini First Quarter 2011 Revenues In 10 Days, Reasonable Optimism Prevails appeared first on Big4.com.

Three separate organizations – Everywoman, Connecting Women in Technology, and womenintechnology.co.uk are awarding this for the first time to demonstrate the career opportunities for women in the IT industry, provide role models inspiring more women to choose technology as a career. The UK IT industry  employs 1.2 million people, with about 250,000+ women.

Billie Major who leads a team in the company’s Aspire business unit which delivers IT services for HM Revenue & Customs also won  the Team Leader of the Year category award.

Paul Hermelin, Chief Executive Officer of the Capgemini Group, said: “I warmly congratulate Christine and Billie on their success in these awards.” And we echo that congratulations.

The post Capgemini’s UK Chairman Christine Hodgson Named Woman of the Year. Major Is Team Leader of Year appeared first on Big4.com.

It came to our attention today that Capgemini is advertising quite exclusively on the Wall Street Journal; and after some digging,  this may have been ongoing since December 2010, so we are perhaps somewhat late to spot this.

In the Marketplace section, right below this spacey logo is an engaging headline ” A Giant Leap For The World of Business And Industry”. And what is this giant leap? According to the author, Catherine Bolgar, we are in the digital age, which is a turning point in society, akin to cars replacing horse carriages.

“The physical world has gone away and the digital world has come,” notes Capgemini.

And quite apart from digitization, social media have fundamentally changed the rules for companies with business-customer interaction changing from one-way street to a ubiqutous and incessant converation.

And so here’s the pitch, “Capgemini Consulting works with clients to collaborate on a digital agenda that assesses where the client lies in terms of digital maturity, which best practices it can use, what others are doing and whether to fill gaps or create new processes. Together they create a framework so that as the client begins the journey toward digital transformation it can progress as a whole, rather than having islands of innovation—or pockets missing out. Capgemini Consulting also helps draw a roadmap for clients to see where they want to be in three to five years and how to get there.”

And then the thought leadership, “six areas of best practice for digital leadership:”

1. Managing multifaceted business models

2. Embedding analytics into management of the business in a much more robust way

3. New experience

4. Collaboration

5. The operating model must be ready to leverage the business technology platforms

6. Bridging the technology gap

And  then Kieran Draper, VP of technology transformation at Capgemini Consulting, “….At Capgemini Consulting, we use technology as a strategic weapon.”

In addition to the article, Capgemini sponsors a special advertising section on WSJ online.

First off, this is clearly front-and-center (and likely quite expensive) advertising to reach top business executives in the most expensive business journal of all. And the exclusive deal to capture remixingbusiness did cost a pretty penny too. But since Capgemini is considered more as an European company rather than a pure Stateside organization, this is probably on-strategy to raise profile.  Also, interesting to see that it is Capgemini Consulting (rather than the parent Capgemini) that is being highlighted, perhaps the focus is on the thought-leadership area rather the more operational Outsourcing and Technology practices.

Finally, digital consulting is reminiscent of the new-age digital consulting firms that flared up in the late last century. And while the edginess is the playground for smaller firms, larger consultants like Capgemini have found that size, power and ability to financially persist may be somewhat more important than being cutting-edge.

And the web has evolved too over the last 10 years; and has shown it has dramatically impacted everything. Clearly digital transformation is here to stay, and is a paradigm-changing powerful force. To control this flow to advantage does need folks who know this quick-changing rates,  and that brings on the consultants….may we suggest Capgemini ?!

The post Capgemini Advertises on Wall Street Journal (Remixing Business) appeared first on Big4.com.

And now many of the recent newsletters are available as an archive for your convenience.

The Big4 weekly newsletter is now archived here.

When you are there, be sure to sign up on the Email link to add your email to receive it directly to your mailbox.

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We thank all members for their support!

The group is active.  LinkedIn’s new Career Discussions on our group are buzzing, with dozens of new opportunities being added each day. And so are discussions.

With such a large number, statistics become meaningful, and here are some interesting ones we gathered from LinkedIn:

  Current Company

• All Companies
• Deloitte (2855)
• Ernst & Young (1856)
• PwC (1804)
• KPMG (1446)
• Accenture (960)
• Deloitte Consulting (937)
• Capgemini (450)
• KPMG Advisory (272)
• IBM (207)
• IBM Global Services (162)
• Capgemini Consulting (109)

  Past Company

• All Companies
• Deloitte (6557)
• PwC (5039)
• Ernst & Young (4915)
• KPMG (4074)
• Accenture (2966)
• Deloitte Consulting (2030)
• BearingPoint (1320)
• Capgemini (1081)
• IBM (852)
• Oracle (495)
• IBM Global Services (460)

This shows we have a very focused group, and strive to keep it that way – by offering group membership to Big Four professionals, alumni and interested recruiters. We do try to read all profiles to ensure that this works; and do decline in cases we do not obviously spot such affiliations.

With LinkedIn now offering groups as an option for LinkedIn job posters and recruiters, maintaining that focus means that interesting opportunities come towards the group as also recruiters can narrow their search if needed to group members.

That advantage, in addition to increasing the individual group member’s network are some great reasons for the group to grow in a focused manner. You can share the group with your connections in LinkedIn too as your assistance.

Our group is around 80th of over 850,000 groups, so in the top 100, an achievement we are quite proud of, and could not be sustained without our members’s great support, and we are thankful for that.

Group members receive the Big4 newsletter each week, and are encouraged to sign up to get it right in their mailbox.

Keep that group activity going…and we’ll be in touch.

The post Big Four LinkedIn Group Now Largest, With 44,000 Members appeared first on Big4.com.

The post Capgemini Adds New Service Line: Global Business Process Management appeared first on Big4.com.

Capgemini just yesterday released its full year 2010 results for the year ended December 31, 2010. Its 2010 revenues of €8,697 million, compared with 2009 revenues, were up 3.9% on published revenues (current Group structure and exchange rates); but down 1.1% on a like-for-like basis (constant Group structure and exchange rates).

Capgemini stressed Q4-2010 revenues accelerated, up 16.2% on published figures from Q4-2009 and 10.5% excluding the impact of the acquisition of Brazilian CPM Braxis (consolidated from October 1), and 5.8% like-for-like basis. 2010 full year operating margin of EUR 587 million was flat to 2009 operating margin of EUR 595 million. But 2010 operating profit was up 47% over 2009, due to reducted non-recurring expenses and restructuring costs, which were reduced to €71 million in 2010. 2010 company profit of €280 million was up 57% on last year. EPS of €1.80 was 55% over €1.16 of 2009. But cash on hand fell at the end of 2010 to EUR 1,063 million from EUR 1,269 million from end of 2009.

Bookings of €9,863 million increased 9% over 2009 confirming a H2-2010 acceleration, with Consulting Services, Technology Services and Local Professional Services Q4-2010 bookings up 11%; and Outsourcing Services up a solid 16% for the full year 2010 versus full year 2009. The book-to-bill ratio of the first three businesses was 1.14 for the year as a whole and 1.21 for the Q4-2010.

Capgemini will be paying a nice dvidend of €1 per share), compared to €0.80 per share in 2009 and €1 per share in 2008, represents a pay-out of 56%, compared to a pay-out of 68% in 2009 and only 32% in 2008.

France revenues (still number 1) fell 1.0% like-for-like over the year as a whole, but increased 1.7% in the fourth quarter. The operating margin rate was 6.6%;

United Kingdom and Ireland revenues dropped 1.4% (like for like), but grew +7.8% in Q4-2010. Operating margin (7.9%) fell back slightly on 2009;

North America annual revenues grew 4.7% due to strong appreciation of the US dollar. On a like-for-like basis, the most cyclical businesses increased 10% over the year as a whole, and nearly 25% in the fourth quarter.  The operating margin for the region was 5.2%, up slightly on 2009.

In the other regions revenues increased 5.4% on average (like-for-like) and 13.3% in Q4-2010, with good performances reported in particular in Italy and Latin America. The average operating margin of these other regions was 8.7%, down slightly on 2009.

Technology Services (41.5% of revenues) reported an increase in annual revenues of 1.6% like-for-like. The operating margin rate was 6.7%, practically unchanged on 2009;

Outsourcing Services annual revenues fell  3.2% like-for-like – entirely due to the drop already announced in business volume with a major US client – but enjoyed a return to growth in Q4 (+3.2%) with operating margin rate for fiscal year 2010 at 7.1%.

Sogeti enjoyed a return to growth from the third quarter and reported 2010 revenues almost unchanged on last year with a satisfactory operating margin rate (9.2%), thanks to good resource management and an improvement in prices at the year-end;

Consulting Services 2010 revenues fell 7.5%, due to the marked decrease in British public sector purchases. Prices even increased slightly towards the year-end. Operating margin rate was highest (10.9%, down only 0.5 points on 2009).

The total headcount increased 20% to 108,698 at December 31, 2010, compared to 90,516 at end-2009. The Group recruited over 30,000 employees in 2010 – CPM Braxis in Brazil contributed nearly 7,600 new employees. Offshore employees represented 35% of the total headcount at December 31, 2010, that is 38,400 employees including nearly 31,000 in India.

For 2011, Capgemini forecasts reported revenue growth of 9-10% and an improvement in the operating margin rate on 2010 of between 0.5 points and 1 point; to be achieved gradually over the whole year

Capgemini, with this earnings release has shown that it is bouncing back quite nicely from a tough downturn, as is evident in the increase in bookings (future revenues) and visible acceleration in Q4-2010. Its hiring of 30,000 indicates the company is quite confident to find work for all these folks. And note too that Capgemini has significantly moved up its offshore employee percentage to a third, which can only help its overall cost delivery levels as also provide a sound base for increased Outsourcing business.

Note too that Accenture, IBM, Dell and HP all announced blow-out earnings, indicating there is a lot of momentum in the tech and professional services sector.

Investors clearly loved this pushing the Capgemini stock (CAP) immediately on announcement from EUR 39.50 to EUR 42.50, and the stock is holding that level well even today.

The post Capgemini Full Year 2010 Results Show Strong Bookings, Massive Hiring. Stock Zooms appeared first on Big4.com.

The post Capgemini: Investors Cautiously Bullish, Performance Will Dictate Trajectory appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com
1 September 2010

(blog) Douglas Farquahar, Head of Sustainable Outsourcing at Capgemini U.K has jumped squarely on the green data center bandwagon, and with good cause. A big portion of the company s revenues are generated through IT and when you consider the statistic that the green IT service sector is set to grow at a rate of 60% until 2013, it’s easy to see why companies like Capgemini need to make clear which side of the fence they’re on.

Things are not always what they seem and that applies to information technology. It seems data centers are huge part of the IT wave in the business world, and they contribute greatly to the world’s carbon footprint. As much as 2% of that bit of nasty business can be traced to data processing and storage.

Still it s clear there is no turning back now as the world races towards its new technological future in both business and consumer arenas. However, there’s no need for Greenpeace to hang a banner off the nearest data center just yet; it appears that the industry is being proactive and Capgemini is at the forefront.

Capgemini’s new data center will be located in Swindon and have the lowest Power Usage Efficiency (1.08) rating in Europe (and perhaps the world). Maybe we’re getting things right this time and business is putting the horse before the cart and not the other way around like we did with the fossil fuel industry. The old warehouse with 33,000 square feet of space will be totally upgraded for targeted occupancy on September 17, 2010. The first phase will have four 10,000 square feet modules for a total capex of $18.5 million dollars, with total investment pegged at $43 million, and 100% occupancy by Q2-2011.

There’s more evidence to support the claim that we’re headed for a greener consciousness. Fittingly, the U.K. Environment Agency will occupy two of the floor space modules in the new building. Hats off to Capgemini. That kind of thinking will have them racing past the big business dinosaurs that are still playing hide and seek with all the oil in the Gulf Of Mexico. (blog)
 

The post Capgemini Swindon Data Center Aims To Be Greenest In The World appeared first on Big4.com.

Nita Teoh, Big4.com
July 14, 2010

Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are continually faced with the increasing pressure of delivering greater value from IT services for their companies on a daily basis. Much like Moore’s law, demands on performance keeps increasing while costs continually drop.

Managing costs and other hot topics facing CIOs around the world were major topics of discussion at the recent 2010 World Congress on IT hosted in Amsterdam in May 2010.

Big Four firms were well represented at the Conference by the likes of Capgemini and KPMG.

Capgemini’s Ron Tolido, Chief Technology Officer gave a keynote presentation on “The power of technology to change business and public life”.

His presentation focused around the need for many governments to reshape the way they do business in the future.

The implications for business are that mere cost cutting will not be enough in the face of the GFC and other disruptive events that may occur in the future.

Government can continue to engage in outsourcing, but public private partnerships in the future will have to meet higher expectation of delivery and the higher expectations of citizens.

As Tolido articulated in his own blog:

“… what we need to focus on is not eGovernment, but eCitizens. It’s not about delivering the IT processes of government today over the Web with citizen access, but rethinking how a citizen will want to run their relationship with their elected government.”

Another way of putting this is ‘user driven services’ which makes it recognisable as the old cry for alignment between business and IT.

KPMG IT Advisory Partners Kumar Parakala (Europe, Middle East, Africa and India) and Bryan Cruickshank (Europe) also presented at the World Congress on their ”From Cost to Value – 2010 Global Survey on the CIO Agenda”

The survey assisted CIOs in setting their priorities for the future and was based on a questionnaire distributed to 4,500 CIOs across all continents, of which feedback was received from 10% of respondents.

As Cruickshank commented:

“Whenever you hear of organisations wanting to focus on value, it’s tempting to immediately think of cost cutting. However, our survey suggests a dual focus amongst today’s CIOs. Understandably, they are pursuing value by reviewing outsourcing arrangements and retaining a firm focus on cost optimisation for example.

At the same time though, they are demonstrating their willingness to move the CIO role from its typically operational home into something more transformational.

With that in mind, the days when IT was seen merely as a way of improving efficiency seem behind us. These days, CIOs expect IT to contribute directly to realising the business strategy and to have a central role in management.”

It appears that Big Four senior executives are in sync with what the marketplace and internal customers are demanding today – that a business strategy of cost cutting alone is not enough to survive in today’s tough corporate environment – but a strategic focus on value creation for the total enterprise is the ultimate goal of the CIO.

CIO, 2010 World Congress on IT, Ron Tolido, Bryan Cruickshank, KPMG, Capgemini

The post Capgemini And KPMG Shape The Thinking At 2010 World Congress On IT appeared first on Big4.com.

Susan Black, Big4.com

If you check out http://www.capgemini.com today, the main global site for Capgemini, you will see the site opening out as elevator doors, two men in black walk in and then automatically become part of an advertisement for the firm. It’s quite cool!! And a very innovative way to splash their new campaign, quite boldly, we must say, right on their most valuable real estate on the internet.

This is the kick-off of Capgemini new 100% Internet campaign. As we have blogged earlier, the firm is focusing completely on the internet with its 100% online advertising campaign with new episodes of the “elevator” series which began in 2009. The campaign gets shown in video banners, a bunch of humorous skits set in an elevator illustrates the challenges facing clients in the current economic situation and Capgemini’s response. Capgemini calls the elevator “a highly symbolic place for businesses.”

Truly, it is one place where you have a captive audience and in some sense it is a space which executives generally treat as a kind of office water cooler. And it does give new meaning to the phrase “elevator pitch”!The campaign launched on more than 50 general, business and specialized IT websites in 7 countries: France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden; and also on mobile networks and the iPad

The very interesting part of this campaign is that Capgemini is fully utilizing ALL channels of the internet, including world events, social media, video sites, blogs, Google Ads, Apple’s iPad:Multiple high visibility advertising formats and interactive video banners Major websites such as Le Monde, Les Echos and Boursorama in FranceCapgemini’s websiteSocial networking sites, particularly YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, as well as Capgemini’s blogs and a synchronized Google campaignA mobile version of the Group’s website with content fully adapted for this purpose – a first in the IT services sectorSeveral major websites (particularly The Guardian, the BBC and Le Monde)Media presence on the iPad, making Capgemini one of the first to use this medium.

There are five key messages in this campaign:

“Cut your costs, not your potential” “It is time for action. Elevate your business today.”“

With Capgemini, virtualize your IT and realize your productivity”

“Turn your data into a competitive advantage”

“When your applications landscape becomes flexible and productive, so does your business”

According to Philippe Grangeon, Capgemini Group Marketing and Communication Director, “by generating more than 800 million banners viewed in 2009, our international 100% internet advertising campaign lived up to expectations. In 2010 we are strengthening the online communication mechanism…”

An old advertising maxim says, 50% of your advertising is wasted – we just want to know which 50%!! But truly, this shows a new shift for consulting firms, which are moving away from traditional avenues (newspaper, trade journals, business magazines, airport screens, TV, city billboards etc.) completely to new digital media. And so kudos to Capgemini for putting their entire weight behind an online campaign.

The key advantage of internet advertising is that it’s totally measurable and it can all be made customer-relevant (delivering the exact message at the exact point of purchase or influence). We would be very interested to see the ROI on this campaign, if Capgemini does share at a future point, as a fascinating case study on internet advertising. And they may prove the old ad adage wrong, and have 100% of their campaign be money well spent.

And of course, we see that Capgemini has yet to advertise on Big4.com, a key aggregated platform for influential Big Four alumni and professionals – so contact us at marketing@big4.com or (866) 690-5050!!Capgemini, internet advertising, elevator pitches, 100%, social media, campaign, banners

The post Cool – Capgemini Website Morphs Into Elevator Ad appeared first on Big4.com.

Lisa Chapman, Big4.com

Sunday, December 20, 2009

In November 2009, we had reported on the our news feed on Capgemini’s effort to launch a shareholding plan for its employees, with a maximum of 6,000,000 shares reserved for their employees, opening on November 17, 2009 and settlement-delivery of these shares to occur on December 16, 2009. Click here for our previously reported news item.

Capgemini now reports that this very first employee shareholding plan has been a success with 14,000 employees subscribing, after reductions, to over €165 million, corresponding to 6 million newly-issued shares, having reached the maximum number of shares offered. These shares are issued at a price of €27.58, with dividends rights. With this dilution, the number of shares which comprise Capgemini’s share capital will be 153,958,441 on December 16, 2009.

Capgemini indicates that this effort, a sign of the confidence of employees in the firm’s future, now increases the employee ownership of Group capital to around 4% (6MM/150MM). Reportedly, employees subscribed in all 19 countries where the plan was offered, with the majority of subscribers come from France, US, the Netherlands, and the UK.

Let us do some math on this, given the scant information we have available.From an employee’s perspective, we can presume a typical employee gets, assuming that 6,000,000 shares are equally distributed to each of the 14,000 subscribing employees (6,000,000/14,000), exactly 428.57 shares. And each employee has to put out Euro 11,820 (428.57 * Euro 27.58) to buy into this offer.What do they get in return?First there is the capital appreciation. The current price of Capgemini is Euro 31.05 per share on December 18, 2009, which is Euro 3.47 over the subscription price, leading to a current capital gain of Euro 1,487.14 per employee (428.57 shares * Euro 3.47).

There is a restriction on when these shares can be sold, as there is a lockup period of 5 years. Now, we don t know what is likely to happen in 5 years, but we can safely say that we have passed through the worst recession of a generation, and stock prices, though not at March 2009 lows, are not that far off from six-year lows.

It is very likely that Capgemini, whose performance has been affected, but not devastatingly so, will likely be around as a public company in 5 years, and shares will rise from this low level. Also assume that shares go up conservatively 6% each year (for 4 years) in line with operating performance, then in 5 years, the Euro 1,487.14 will rise to Euro 1,877.48 at a compounded rate.Second, there is the dividend. Five years worth of dividends of Euro 1 per share is Euro 2,142.86 (Euro 428.47 * 1 * 5 = Euro 2,142.86)That brings the grand total to Euro 4,020.34, and brings the pre-tax return on initial investment to 34.01% (Euro 4,020.34 / Euro 11,820).

And that attractive rate of return is unlikely to be found anywhere today in capital markets! Which speaks to why the offer was fully subscribed. While Capgemini employees may not all be financial analysts, they certainly have the made the right choice!From the current shareholders perspective, there is some loss of value, which gets transferred from them to employees. This amount Euro 20.82 million (Euro 3.47 * 6,000,000 shares) is only 0.44% dilution (Euro 20.82 Million / Euro 4.78 Billion company market capitalization).

But the advantage current shareholders get is that they rope in employees as fellow shareholders, and thus create incentives for employees to do their best for company performance and move the share price even higher. From Capgemini’s perspective, this plan allows them to offer monetary value for employees, align employee interests with shareholder interests, and solidifies employee involvement for the longer term.

Theoretically then, this appears a win-win all around, as generally employee shareholder plans aim to do, notwithstanding unforeseen events or unpredictable conditions down the line, which could make this a total wash.This is our outside-in analysis. If you’re a Capgemini employee and subscribed to this offer, let us know by comments how you thought about it, and what is the general mood of other employees who subscribed. And tell us if we got our math generally right…..

The post Capgemini Employee Shareholding Plan A Success, Our Math Shows Why appeared first on Big4.com.

Rob Starr, Big4.com
June 30, 2010

For the first time, the wealthy in Asia can say they are better off than their European contemporaries.

The 14th annual World Wealth Report by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Capgemini shows a dramatic shift in the money landscape between these two continents. Two major factors contributing to this change: a big rebound in Asian stock markets and relentless increase in property prices coming back from the last recession.

Capgemini and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management show in particular that the Asia-Pacific HNWI population rose 25.8% overall to 3.0 million, catching up with Europe for the first time, after falling 14.2% in 2008. Seven countries within the region actually saw their HNWI populations recover beyond 2007 levels. Asia-Pacific HNWI wealth surged 30.9% to US$9.7 trillion, more than erasing 2008 losses and surpassing the US$9.5 trillion in wealth held by Europe’s HNWIs.

Consider some really interesting facts highlight the shifting trends including:

• The amazing growth of wealth of certain locations that were hardest hit during the recession. In particular, both India and Hong Kong showed an incredible resurgence each after mammoth declines in 2008. This in contrast with the fact that the globe still has the most high net worth individuals ( HNWIs) in Japan, Germany and the United States. Still it’s clear that there is a redistribution fermenting in the post recessionary world.
• Although the recovery remains sluggish in some parts of the world, the percentage of HNWIs recovering from their losses was disproportionate. For example, the Capgemini and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management report states that this group recovered all but 2.5% of the wealth lost in 2008.
• The HNWIs in Asia Pacific saw their wealth surge 30.9 %. These gains were reported although the same time period shows that the global economy actually contracted and the increases surpassed the numbers for Europe’s HNWIs by .2 trillion US.

And that’s not all, Capgemini thinks that the future also belongs largely in this region, proclaiming that “Asia-Pacific will Likely be the Powerhouse of
HNWI Growth in Coming Years”

Overall, the number and wealth of HNWIs globally recovered significantly in 2009, but Asia-Pacific was the showcase, due to a solid performance in economic and market drivers of wealth. Going forward, the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) nations are expected to again be the drivers for their respective regions. In Asia-Pacific, China and India will continue to lead the way, with economic expansion and growth likely to keep outpacing more developed economies. The region’s HNWI growth is likely to be the fastest in the world.

The old adage for youth to find their fortune is Go West Young Man! But this is turned upside down as the money, as Capgemini sees it, is back East!!

Capgemini, Merrill Lynch, World Wealth Report, HNWI, Asia, Europe, wealth, BRIC
 

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