Unilever selects Capgemini for global transformation programme

Capgemini UK Plc, part of the Capgemini Group, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, has been selected as Unilever’s global business intelligence partner. The company will work alongside Unilever IT and business teams to deliver a major transformation programme over the next three years.

Capgemini was selected by Unilever following competitive bids from several leading multinational IT providers. The main reasons for selecting Capgemini include the company’s in-depth knowledge of global business information management (BIM) challenges and proven BIM methodology, its track record in major BIM assignments and in the consumer goods sector, and its five year history of successful engagements at Unilever in finance business process outsourcing. Capgemini’s proven commitment to sustainability, matching that of Unilever, was a further important point in favour.

Capgemini will deploy its Rightshore global delivery model on the Unilever programme. The Capgemini team working on the project will be led from the UK and based at a number of locations around the world, including Continental Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific, and with core support from a development centre in India.

With an estimated 2 billion people using Unilever’s products every day across 180 countries, this major global programme will create its first Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), 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 involve migrating legacy data warehouses into the new EDW and providing new data mining and analytical tools to support Unilever management at all levels in achieving fast, informed and fact based decision-making based on comprehensive and up-to-date data. It is also expected to deliver significant sustainable cost savings both in IT and across Unilever business operations worldwide.

According to Unilever’s Global Chief Information Officer Willem Eelman, “This programme is one of our top strategic initiatives, not just for IT but for the Unilever business worldwide. It will transform the way our businesses around the world access and use information, bringing enhanced insight and consistency. Capgemini was the natural partner for us given their strong global Business Information Management experience and understanding of our business.”

The programme reinforces Capgemini’s position as one of the world’s leading business information management (BIM) service providers. Capgemini was positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the leaders’ quadrant for Global Business Intelligence and Performance Management Service Providers1. Capgemini’s global Business Information Management (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.

Paul Nannetti, Capgemini’s Global Leader for Business Information Management, said, “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.”