BCC Iccrea Group partners with Accenture for groupwide IT transformation

BCC Iccrea Group has hired Accenture to help support a groupwide IT transformation program aimed at boosting client services and internal agility.

Founded in 1963 in Rome, BCC Iccrea Group is the largest cooperative banking group in Italy. The group owns regional credit union federations, credit unions and rural savings banks with a presence all around the county.

The deal with Accenture will see the consulting giant support a major transformation program, which according to local media reports has a budget of €300 million over the next three years. The goal of the transformation program is to provide improved levels of service for the 114 member banks of BCC Iccrea Group and other subsidiaries.

The IT plan covers the improvement and modernization of key core banking applications, the further expansion of products and services available through digital channels, and the adoption of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI.

Specifically, the partnership agreement with Accenture focuses on digital platforms, core systems (including customer records, current accounts and settlements), and BCC Iccrea Group’s data platform. Additionally, Accenture will contribute to improving the group’s infrastructure and developing a new service model designed to enhance its security and resilience levels.

Mauro Pastore, general manager of the BCC Iccrea Group, commented: “We are pleased with the partnership signed with Accenture. This collaboration will allow us to offer our customers increasingly efficient, secure and personalized services, while simultaneously reinforcing our market positioning. The integration of advanced IT solutions is essential to addressing future challenges in the banking sector and to ensuring the sustainable growth of our banks.”

Massimiliano Colangelo, who leads the Financial Services practice of Accenture in Italy, said: “By implementing cutting-edge technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics, and by leveraging human expertise, we are enabling a profound transformation of BCC Iccrea Group’s core systems. This will enhance operational efficiency and accelerate process automation.”

Italy is one of Accenture’s most important markets in Europe. Last year alone, the company closed three acquisitions in the country.