STRASBOURG, France, Oct. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Crédit Mutuel are announcing a new step in their strategic partnership initiated more than 50 years ago, with the signing of the AmbitionS contract between Euro-Information, the technological subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel, and IBM.

The objective is to pursue and strengthen their close collaboration over the next four years to continue to anticipate developments in the financial services sector by:

• Accelerating and industrializing the use of data, artificial intelligence (AI) and automated document analysis to develop new services, improve business processes and protect customers and the bank (combat fraud, ensure compliance, etc.)

• Transforming the information system into a unified private cloud platform leveraging Red Hat OpenShift, working in synergy with IBM Z^®. This private cloud, hosted in Crédit Mutuel datacenters located in France and fully operated by Euro-Information teams, will be based on an architecture meeting availability, performance and security requirements in accordance with the commitment of digital privacy and contributing to the improvement of time-to-market and operational efficiency. This comprehensive approach aims to give Crédit Mutuel sustainable autonomy and contributes to the commitments made in terms of reducing its environmental footprint and an IT resolutely focused on the new digital uses of client-members.

• Creating an IBM technology and skills center in Strasbourg, dedicated to Crédit Mutuel, around artificial intelligence, data, cloud and infrastructure modernization.

"In face of the explosion in digital use cases, the AmbitionS plan will help accelerate the deployment of new offers and services for the 27 million customers of Crédit Mutuel and its subsidiaries," said Frantz Rublé, President of Euro-Information.

Accelerate the bank and insurance's transformation with the creation of a center of excellence dedicated to technological innovation, based in Strasbourg

The strengthening of this strategic partnership with IBM is reflected in the creation of a skills and technology center in Strasbourg, hosted in a structure dedicated to Crédit Mutuel. This hub will make it possible to accelerate the supply of services and technologies such as AI or the private cloud, in synergy with the IBM Z platform, for customers and members, partners and employees of all Crédit Mutuel federations, and their subsidiaries, as well as members of the Euro-Information IT System.

A co-creation approach is planned to accelerate exchanges and knowledge sharing between Euro-Information and IBM Research (including Paris-Saclay). This is expected to strengthen the IBM teams in Strasbourg as well as access to IBM Research, consulting, support and technology centers worldwide. Finally, an "Academy" approach to develop and perpetuate skills on IBM Z technologies, and to attract young talent, especially in Strasbourg, by relying on higher education institutions.

"The creation of the AmbitionS technology and skills center will strengthen our strategic partnership with Crédit Mutuel and its technological subsidiary Euro-Information, combining geographic proximity, skills excellence and the use of technology as accelerators of transformation," said Jean-Philippe Desbiolles, IBM Managing Director. "After AI, Crédit Mutuel is once again paving the way for a new vision of the bank."

About Euro-Information, a Crédit Mutuel group company
Euro-Information is the technology company of the Crédit Mutuel group. Euro-Information manages the information system of 16 Crédit Mutuel federations¹ as well as CIC and all the subsidiaries carrying out financial, insurance, real estate, consumer loans, private banking, financing, telephony and technology.

With nearly 3,700 employees, Euro-Information offers the best of technology to employees, members and customers associated with a high level of security and protection of personal data. Euro-Information masters all the technologies internally and carries out the necessary developments to serve the entities of the Crédit Mutuel group.

More information on e-i.com and creditmutuel.fr

¹ Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale (Center Est Europe (Strasbourg), South-East (Lyon), Ile-de-France (Paris), Savoie-Mont Blanc (Annecy), Midi-Atlantique (Toulouse), Loire-Atlantique and Center federations -West (Nantes), Center (Orléans), Normandy (Caen), Dauphiné-Vivarais (Valence), Mediterranean (Marseille), Anjou (Angers), Massif Central (Clermont-Ferrand) and Antilles-Guyane (Fort-de-France ), Crédit Mutuel Nord Europe (Lille), Crédit Mutuel Maine-Anjou, Basse Normandie (Laval) and Crédit Mutuel Océan (La Roche-sur-Yon).

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Contact:
Michael DeFilippis
IBM External Relations
mdefilippis@ibm.com

SOURCE IBM