France’s Atos eyes UK public sector with funding in safe UK infrastructure

Atos has constructed further UK supply infrastructure, with a collection of investments aimed to reassure clients their knowledge is saved and processed utilizing military-grade safety.

The institution of UK-based infrastructure, which homes synthetic intelligence (AI) capabilities, will assist the corporate’s plan to develop its UK public sector enterprise.

Lately put in Atos UK chief govt Michael Herron, who joined Atos from CGI, is aware of the general public sector properly as a former civil servant. He labored on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) earlier than being transferred to its IT provider, ICL, the place he spent 14 years engaged on authorities contracts.

“There’s loads of alternative in authorities,” Herron advised Laptop Weekly. “Whereas we’re not seeing large development on the market out there, there may be development and lots to go after.”

In keeping with figures from Tussell, Atos at the moment has 37 reside contracts within the UK public sector price £1.3bn, by contracts with the MoD, HMRC, the Residence Workplace, and the Division for Setting, Meals and Rural Affairs (Defra), in addition to the state-owned Nationwide Financial savings and Funding financial institution (NSIB). Since 2012, it has gained a complete of 401 contracts, with a mixed whole of £12bn.

The NSIB contract is Atos’s greatest within the UK public sector, with £475m over three years, the place it gives IT outsourcing providers. It not too long ago gained a serious take care of Defra for digital office providers. It gives testing providers to HMRC and utility growth, and assist to the Residence Workplace.

Herron mentioned the general public sector push is a part of the explanation the corporate has launched UK-based infrastructure, which meets the best ranges of safety and authorities accreditation.

The three “sovereign” centres, as Atos describes them, are an orchestration hub, and digital agentic and digital enablement centres.

That is along with current UK infrastructure, which features a Record X facility in Andover, accredited by UK authorities to the best safety ranges.

Herron mentioned the centres are on UK soil, accredited to UK rules and requirements, and serviced by UK security-cleared workers. He mentioned the mix goes past simply constructing centres within the UK to reassure clients. “It’s totally different to when folks say onshore [centres],” mentioned Herron.

He additionally believes his expertise is right as Atos pushes for extra authorities enterprise. “I grew to become the CEO on the proper time, as a result of [between the] 14 years or in order that I’ve spent in defence and as we speak, there may be growing geopolitical uncertainty,” he mentioned. “There’s numerous discuss knowledge sovereignty; there’s a cyber assault each different day, and I really feel we will develop the fitting functionality.”

In keeping with Herron, the fast take-up of synthetic intelligence (AI) means “sovereign AI capabilities are mission-critical” for companies within the public, defence and significant nationwide infrastructure sectors.

Atos shouldn’t be alone focusing on the UK public sector. Firms like India’s Tata Consultancy Companies are growing their work within the UK public sector. Chatting with Laptop Weekly about TCS’s UK public sector plans final 12 months, Amit Kapur, its UK nation head, mentioned there was “potential, paucity and motion” with “good engagement”.

Equally, fellow India-headquartered Infosys not too long ago gained a £1.2bn take care of the NHS, which elevated its UK authorities work 160 instances over. In keeping with Tussell, earlier than the newest NHS deal, Infosys had solely gained 36 contracts since 2012, with a complete worth of £87.2m.