IT outsourcing: HP and Unilever extend global technology management contract

Hewlett-Packard and Unilever have signed a seven-year extension to an outsourcing agreement under which HP is managing Unilever’s global technology infrastructure. Terms of the $675-million extension call for HP to provide an infrastructure designed to quickly adapt to the changing needs of Unilever's business.

ByManufacturing Business Technology Staff February 19, 2008

Hewlett-Packard and Unilever have signed a seven-year extension to an outsourcing agreement under which HP is managing Unilever’s global technology infrastructure.Terms of the $675-million extension call for HP to provide an infrastructure designed to quickly adapt to the changing needs of Unilever’s business by standardizing, virtualizing, and optimizing Unilever’s enterprise computing environment in the Americas, Asia, Africa, Turkey and Middle East as well as its client services environment in Asia Pacific, Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East.Operating as a single point of contact for Unilever’s enterprise computing environment, HP will work with Unilever’s strategic partners, including SAP, Microsoft, and BT to help reduce costs and ease the integration of new applications, the company said.HP also will manage the third-party contracts within Unilever’s technology environment in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East.Through this agreement, HP will provide management of Unilever’s IT processes and services.Neil Cameron, chief information officer of Unilever, said: “The intention between both parties is to leverage HP’s scale, expertise, and industry leadership to ensure Unilever has access to world-class technology at substantially lower costs.”Pablo Sanchez-Lozano, senior VP and general manager, HP, said: “We look forward to helping Unilever further transform its technology environment to better align with the business. This will improve performance and lower operational costs.”