$400mn agreement sees HCL take prime responsibility for running infrastructure and application operations across multiple vendors for DNB

DNB Bank ASA, Norway’s largest bank and one of the world’s leading maritime shipping banks, and HCL Technologies, a leading global IT services provider announced USD 400 million strategic engagements. HCL will manage the IT infrastructure services and application operations for all DNB businesses across Norway and its key international locations.

As part of the deal HCL will migrate and transform DNB systems and infrastructure from its existing IT partner to create two new data centers in Norway. The key focus will be driving a world-class user experience to the bank’s 2.5 million retail banking customers and end-users across all DNB’s products, including retail and online banking, cards, insurance, capital markets, payments and finance.

The agreement will help DNB significantly improve operational stability, reduce cost and implement a strong application operations framework with highest levels of service quality and innovation within the bank.  As the prime services provider, HCL will be responsible for managing operations and multiple vendors across the bank’s complex technology landscape.

Liv Fiksdahl, Group Executive Vice President / COO, DNB Bank ASA, said: “DNB has been running a comprehensive market evaluation over the last 18 months to select a partner of choice for running DNB’s IT operations to world-class standards as befits a premium bank like DNB. We are happy to have partnered with HCL Technologies on this journey. HCL has demonstrated expertise in undertaking significant transformations for large clients in the financial services industry and with HCL operation’s we aim to deliver a first-class user experience to DNB’s users.”

“We take pride that DNB has chosen HCL as its partner of choice to transform, improve and run its IT operations,” commented Ashish Gupta, Executive Vice President and Head of EMEA, HCL Technologies, ISD. “Leading global banks are looking for ways to improve their mission-critical IT operations to deliver world-class customer service in an increasingly complex technology, regulatory and cost-conscious environment. HCL will deploy its “Enterprise of the Future (EoF) framework” to enable DNB to not only transform its IT infrastructure but also mature IT operations. This will ensure that the bank has agility to scale IT to meet business needs in a secure compliant manner using a “Digital Fortress” construct. The DNB engagement is also a testimony of our growing strength as the provider of choice for the Gen 2.0 outsourcing market with the most complex and transformational engagements successfully delivered for customers in many industries.”

Present in the Nordics since 1999, HCL has made significant progress in becoming one of the most successful IT firms in the region. HCL has been continuously investing in the Nordic market to deliver a superior customer engagement – which is exemplified by the rapid progress HCL has made in the market. It has been ranked number one in ten of eleven satisfaction indicators in KPMG’s Nordic Survey 2013. Today HCL’s Nordic operations have 2,500 consultants carrying out transformational work for over 30 customers working across Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark servicing leading Nordic companies with significant local investments in local delivery centers.