The Crédit Agricole Group manages an increasingly extensive and complex IT system. As Crédit Agricole S.A wished to implement a solution that would accurately measure its IT expenses, it chose to use IBM Planning Analytics on Cloud and IBM Cognos Analytics on Cloud software.
IBM Planning Analytics on Cloud
IBM Cognos Analytics on Cloud
The Crédit Agricole Group is a giant in the world of banking and insurance, and the group is the leading retail bank and insurer in Europe. To support its business activities and best serve its 53 million customers, the Crédit Agricole Group employs 147,000 individuals, including 11,000 dedicated to IT issues. Between 2022 and 2025, the Crédit Agricole Group plans to spend €20 billion on its IT system.
In 2020, Crédit Agricole S.A. launched the VERDI project (Overview and Reporting of the Group’s IT Spending). "Our main goal was to acquire a tool capable of consolidating and analyzing the group's IT resources and expenses," says Arnaud Sage-Mengus, Head of Group IT Finance, Crédit Agricole S.A.
"In the past, we had a solution that provided some KPIs at the macro level, but they were not sufficient enough to enable the Group's IT governance to effectively address the issue of IT resource allocation. We also wanted to ensure that the CIOs and our holding company had a management tool that they could use on a daily basis.”
The project consists of two tools: the VERDI platform dedicated to the collection and analysis of IT expenses, mainly reserved for IT management controllers in each entity; and the TEMPO data presentation tool, for IT management teams and the group's first decision-making circle.
Between 2022 and 2025, Crédit Agricole S.A. plans to spend €20 billion on its IT system.
The solution will allow for the consolidation and analysis of 6 categories of IT indicators: expenses, workforce, projects, purchases, fixed assets, consumption of infrastructure services covering 43 entities that are part of the Crédit Agricole Group.
The project management teams determined the specifications for the VERDI solution in collaboration with the business units, the central holding entities and the various competing publishers. At the end of the round table, the IBM Planning Analytics on Cloud solution was chosen, followed by IBM Cognos Analytics on Cloud.
Work began at the end of 2020, with developments being made throughout 2021, for an effective deployment of the solution in early 2022. A three party relationship was quickly established, which included IBM, in charge of providing solutions and support, a systems integrator and the Crédit Agricole S.A. project team. "In one year, we were able to successfully deploy the VERDI and TEMPO tools," states Arnaud Sage-Mengus, Head of Group IT Finance, Crédit Agricole S.A. "We are very proud to say that from the beginning, this platform has proven to be both reliable and robust."
When it was launched, the platform focused on a few key indicators. In 2022, the teams worked closely with the business units to add to these indicators, in agile mode.
"VERDI is intended to be used as a group tool. Nonetheless, we must remain close to the end users, to whom we propose different analyses and who - in return - provide feedback on their needs. It's up to us to submit proposals in this regard and find consensus.”
The VERDI project was officially completed at the end of 2022, even though a few issues remain to be addressed. "We take part in regular progress reviews with IBM. With the help of their teams, we should soon be able to resolve certain issues, such as SSO. It is important to maintain close daily ties between the business units, which I represent, the IT teams and IBM."
Thanks to IBM Planning Analytics on Cloud and IBM Cognos Analytics on Cloud, Crédit Agricole S.A. has been able to set up a platform that will help it better control and manage its IT expenses, entity by entity and at the group level.
The year 2022 was devoted to enhancing the solution. "VERDI now covers a wide range of indicators", confirms Arnaud Sage-Mengus, Head of Group IT Finance, Crédit Agricole S.A. "In 2023, we will improve a few points, and take action to ensure that this tool is fully utilized by the 200 or so employees it is intended for.
Designed to provide a consolidated, reliable and detailed view of the group's IT spending, VERDI can also be used in the field of auditability. "Large companies like ours are increasingly being asked by regulators to provide transformation indicators. Our platform has the capacity to review the auditability of IT expenses and will thus be highly useful in this context."
A major player in banking and insurance in Europe, the Crédit Agricole Group serves 53 million customers daily, nearly half in its 39 Crédit Agricole regional branches. As part of its "Ambitions 2025" plan, the group intends to invest €1 billion in technological transformation programs.