Johannesburg, 28 Jul 2011
In a move that demonstrates that intelligent outsourcing holds great potential to enable business strategy and improve competitiveness, the Old Mutual Group in South Africa has concluded a substantial IT outsourcing contract with Dimension Data, supported by its partner Telkom.
Together they will manage the communications tower of the South African group's IT estate for the next five years, focusing on delivering long-term operational savings, differentiated services tailored to user demand, and supporting the group in its drive to become more competitive and customer-focused.
Old Mutual South Africa's primary operations are in long-term savings and investments, banking (through Nedbank, which is one of the top four retail banks in South Africa), and short-term insurance (through Mutual & Federal). By outsourcing selected parts of the IT operations, we execute a strategy that gives us the best of both worlds: on the one hand, concentration on our core business, and on the other, premium access to global best practices and the full portfolio of technology resources offered by a global services provider.
Richard Boynett, Chief Information Officer of Old Mutual's Long Term Savings Division, said: “In addition to delivering an IT environment that is flexible and responsive, the outsourcing deal will enable the Old Mutual Group to focus on our core business of helping customers achieve their lifetime financial goals.”
The contract was awarded to Dimension Data, Telkom and Nashua. In the terms of the agreement, Dimension Data together with Telkom will provide all elements of the communications tower. This covers data services (including the wide area network, branch and campus LAN environment, third-party connectivity, and Internet access), voice services, multimedia collaboration and management services.
The contract enables Old Mutual to pursue our business and technology roadmap for the future, providing a flexible and highly responsive service that adapts to the our changing requirements, giving access to international best practices, procedures and skills to support the organisation's business; and deliver real, long-term operational savings that will contribute to the group's competitiveness. The outsourcing contract is expected to generate significant savings for the Old Mutual Group over the next five years.
Brent Flint, Services Executive: Dimension Data Middle East & Africa, describes the contract as a noteworthy endorsement of Dimension Data Services' capacity to manage complex, variable and flexible IT environments on behalf of corporations looking to focus on their core business.
For further information, please contact:
Lisette Lombard
Senior Media Consultant - Old Mutual Emerging Markets Media
Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (SA) Limited
Licensed Financial Service Provider
+27 (0)21 509 3318 (telephone)
+27 (0)866 534 281 (fax)
lisettelombard@oldmutual.com (e-mail)
+27 (0)82 836 8036 (cellular)
http://www.oldmutual.co.za