BNP Paribas Signs an Agreement with IBM Services to further deploy its Cloud Strategy

ARMONK, N.Y., Jan. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Banks are faced with changing consumer behaviors and expectations, in areas such as real-time banking, mobile services and access to a more complete view of their financial situation. To address customers' expectations, BNP Paribas has engaged a transformation plan aiming at accelerating its digital transformation and improving the group's operational efficiency.

To address these market changes, BNP Paribas and IBM Services today announced they are extending their partnership for eight years. This partnership further extends the two companies' creation of the IT services company BNP Paribas Partners for Innovation (BP2I) ? a joint venture held equally by BNP Paribas and IBM (NYSE: IBM) since 2003. This agreement will enable BNP Paribas to continue to deploy its cloud approach with service from IBM.

BNP Paribas, which developed its first private cloud in 2013, will now integrate the IBM Cloud hosted in data centers dedicated to the bank. BNP Paribas will also strengthen its hybrid cloud "as a service" capabilities, using IBM solutions offered via its public cloud to support the development of new services, including test and applications environments.

In line with its Cloud strategy and in order to ensure the security of its customers' data,
BNP Paribas will not use the public cloud for either customer data or production environments with sensitive information.

Thanks to the expertise from IBM, this new step in the bank's cloud approach will enable BNP Paribas to gain agility, ensure the performance of its IT systems and ensure security. It is also designed to improve the "Time to Market" for new digital applications and services and the privileged access of BNP Paribas to new technologies.

This agreement will also enable BNP Paribas to use IBM Hybrid Cloud solutions to increase its services capabilities through the usage of multiple environments, such as dedicated, public and private clouds, ensuring integration between these different environments. It will help enable the bank's ability to improve the integration and optimize the workload management between these various Cloud infrastructure services.

The new banking services and technologies developed by BNP Paribas through IBM solutions will contribute to the acceleration of the digitization of the bank, the improvement of the services offered to its customers, and the support of the development of new digital applications

About BNP Paribas:

BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with international influence. It is present in 73 countries, with more than 196,000 employees, including close to 149 000 in Europe. The Group holds key positions in its three main business areas: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services, whose retail banking networks and financial services are grouped in Retail Banking & Services, and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which focuses on Business and Institutional customers. The Group accompanies all its clients (individuals, associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, large companies and institutions) to help them carry out their projects by offering them financing, investment, savings and protection services. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the first specialised financing actor for individuals in Europe. BNP Paribas also develops its integrated retail banking model in the countries of the Mediterranean basin, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and has an important network in the Western United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas has a strong presence in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas, as well as a strong and  growing one in Asia-Pacific.

About BNP Paribas Partners for Innovation (BP2I)

BNP Paribas Partners for Innovation (BP2I) is an IT services company, created in 2003, whose sole customer is BNP Paribas.
It is a joint venture held equally by BNP Paribas and IBM.
Its know-how is based on technological mastery, the performance of its IT services and the business expertise of the banking services.
The advantages of BP²I organisation are the economic performance, the reinforcement of the employee's working autonomy and the engagement of the teams. BP²I is considered as a strategic tool for the growth and development of the company at the IT level.

About IBM Services

IBM Services designs, builds, and runs the foundational systems and services that is the backbone of the world's economy. The clients IBM Services support include:

• 4 out of the top 5 airlines by revenue
• 8 out of 10 leading mobile operators
• 8 out of 10 largest automobile manufacturers
• 4 out of 10 largest global retailers
• 7 out of 10 biggest insurance companies

Press contacts :
BNP Paribas : Renato Martinelli ? +33 (0)1 58 16 84 99 ? [email protected]
IBM France: Sandrine Durupt ? +33 (0)6 70 21 82 10 ? [email protected]
IBM : Scott Cook ? 312.669.4743 ? [email protected]

SOURCE IBM