New Look Signs 10-Year Engagement with Accenture to Develop and Maintain Supply Chain, Retail Operations Systems
LONDON; April 4, 2006 – Accenture and New Look today announced a 10-year contract under which Accenture will develop, manage and maintain New Look’s U.K. and European core trading, supply chain and retail operations systems. The contract, worth £23 million, is an extension of an existing multi-year IT services agreement between the two companies.
Under the new contract, Accenture will operate state-of-the-art systems that will support New Look’s business transformation and growth programme, helping the retailer reduce costs and enhance productivity in merchandising and distribution. Accenture will be responsible for all related applications development, applications management and IT operations for the Oracle Retail suite. In addition, Accenture will manage the migration to a new technology platform that will be integrated with the retailer’s automated distribution centre in Lymedale, Staffordshire. The new platform will help decrease costs and support New Look’s aggressive growth plans.
“After a period of investment in New Looks’ systems, from infrastructure through to new applications, aligned with a successful New Look business transformation including a new European Distribution Centre and stores in France and Belgium, I am pleased to have secured Accenture’s continued support, ” said Adrian Thompson, Director of IT at New Look. “Accenture is key in providing assurance that we can trade our systems effectively and continue to develop them. This helps ensure we continue to seamlessly support a successful trading position, not just for today but also for tomorrow."
The new contract marks a milestone in the relationship between New Look and Accenture. Since 1998, the organisations have worked together to replatform, stabilise and leverage core enterprise applications during a period of unprecedented growth for New Look.
“As New Look embarks on the next phase of their growth and development plan across the U.K. and Europe, Accenture will help them achieve the agility, flexibility and responsiveness they need to be a high-performing retailer,” said Richard Wildman, managing partner of Accenture’s U.K./Ireland Retail practice. “Accenture will focus on improving New Look’s core trading, supply chain and retail operations systems to help them succeed in the competitive fashion retail market.”
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Committed to delivering innovation, Accenture collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills and technologies to help clients improve their performance. With more than 129,000 people in 48 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$15.55 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2005. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
About New Look
New Look is the third largest womenswear retailer in the UK and second largest footwear retailer, with an average consumer age of 29. The retailer now has over 550 stores in the UK, forty two in Ireland, 240 in France trading as MIM, and has just opened its first mainland European New Look outlets in Bruges and Paris. By the end of 2006 there will be eight New Look outlets in Belgium and France. Established in 1969 and floated on the UK stock market in 1998, New Look was taken back into private ownership in March 2004.
###
Mark Radvanyi
+44 (207) 844 5406