RWE AG selects Avanade to drive competitive edge with global, future-ready IT infrastructure
Microsoft Azure and Office 365 to provide operational agility, speed and responsiveness to succeed in highly competitive energy marketplace
London, February 3, 2020
Energy company, RWE AG, has chosen Avanade, the leading digital innovator on the Microsoft ecosystem, to build a future-ready IT backbone, which will include the integration of a new Microsoft Azure-based infrastructure and the deployment of Microsoft Office 365. The infrastructure will provide increased operational agility, efficiency and enable RWE to rapidly react to opportunities in the competitive energy industry.
As a result of a complex asset swap with E.ON , which has already started and is due to complete in 2020, RWE will need to replace part of its existing IT infrastructure. Edward Bouwmans, head of infrastructure, RWE AG explained: “We need a new IT operating model, but we also need a modern, cloud-based architecture to support our future growth in a competitive energy sector. Succeeding in today´s energy industry requires a high degree of speed and responsiveness. It is also important to build a flexible operating environment that can adapt quickly when organisational change is required. The new cloud-based workplace environment will provide the perfect foundation for building our agile enterprise and making RWE future-ready.”
Given the integration challenges, RWE needed a partner with significant experience in complex multi-location digital transformations. Avanade’s strong cross-border collaboration between its local teams and its expertise in integrating IT environments following mergers and acquisitions was a major draw, as was its track record in supporting RWE in the integration of Microsoft platforms.
“The energy sector is undergoing significant disruption,” says Mark Corley, UKI resources group lead, Avanade. “Companies like RWE understand that one-off digital innovation initiatives aren’t enough to ensure their ongoing survival in the face of change. Avanade’s end-to-end digital innovation capabilities enable us to partner with clients like RWE from strategy through to implementation, without hand-offs. We are proud to have been selected by RWE to help accelerate the digitalisation of its business and provide the best possible workplace experience for its employees.”
Working in conjunction with Accenture, Avanade is migrating RWE’s 17000 users to Office 365 and Azure AD[1]. The initial focus will be on operations in Germany, UK and The Netherlands and then extend to others including the US and Australia. Due for completion by the end of 2020, RWE’s digital transformation program is the result of a detailed assessment of RWE’s IT operating model and infrastructure led by Avanade’s Advisory team.
ENDS
Notes to the editor.
Edward Bouwmans, head of infrastructure, RWE AG talks provides an overview of the project and talks about its impact in this video with Avanade.
About Avanade
Avanade is the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services, business solutions and design-led experiences on the Microsoft ecosystem. Our professionals bring bold, fresh thinking combined with technology, business and industry expertise to help make a human impact on our clients, their customers and their employees. We are the power behind the Accenture Microsoft Business Group, helping companies to engage customers, empower employees, optimise operations and transform products, leveraging the Microsoft platform. Avanade has 38,000 professionals in 25 countries, bringing clients our best thinking through a collaborative culture that honours diversity and reflects the communities in which we operate. Majority owned by Accenture, Avanade was founded in 2000 by Accenture LLP and Microsoft Corporation. Learn more at www.avanade.com.
About RWE
With its four subsidiaries RWE Renewables, RWE Generation, RWE Power and RWE Supply & Trading and a portfolio of around 46 gigawatts of generation capacity, the new RWE supplies clean, reliable and affordable electricity in the future. Following the completion of the transaction with E.ON, RWE's generation capacity from renewables will be more than 9 gigawatts. The company intends to further expand this position by investing up to net €1.5 billion annually in onshore and offshore wind power, photovoltaics and storage. In addition, RWE generates electricity from hard coal, lignite, nuclear power, gas, hydropower and biomass. RWE Supply & Trading is the interface between RWE and the energy markets around the world. In order to push ahead with the energy transition, RWE is investing in innovative projects such as heat storage power plants, the generation and use of hydrogen as an energy source and Power-to-X processes. The group employs a total of around 20,000 people worldwide. RWE AG is headquartered in Essen, Germany.
[1] The full deployment consists of: Active Directory 2016; Office 365, with the workloads of Exchange 2016 hybrid, SharePoint 2016 hybrid (up to 100 sites online, up to 2TB data), OneDrive for Business (for all users), Skype for Business hybrid (for all users); Azure AD for MFA, SSPR, Conditional Access; Microsoft Intune for managing BYOD devices (all users); Microsoft Bitlocker Management (MBAM) for all laptops (~7,000); System Center Configuration Manager 2016 to manage all clients; Windows 10 for all physical and virtual clients (up to ~20,000); Office Pro Plus (2016) on all clients; Windows File & Print Servers
PRESS RELEASE
RWE AG selects Avanade to drive competitive edge with global, future-ready IT infrastructure
Microsoft Azure and Office 365 to provide operational agility, speed and responsiveness to succeed in highly competitive energy Marketplace.
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