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Singtel-owned IT service provider NCS launches in Australia

Former Accenture executive André Conti will lead new Australian branch
Andre Conti (NCS)

Andre Conti (NCS)

Singaporean IT service provider NCS Next has officially launched in Australia through a partnership with Optus Enterprise. 

Like Optus, NCS is owned by Singaporean telecommunications giant Singtel and will partner with the Australian sister company to supply IT and digital services to Australian clients. The new company will be led by André Conti, who spent almost 30 years with Accenture, most recently serving as its cloud and infrastructure leads in Australia and New Zealand. 

Having left Accenture in January, Conti spent two months working at Semaphore Consulting Partners before quietly joining NCS in June. His new organisation will offer digital services, including data analytics, artificial intelligence and mobility. 

The company said it plans to grow its NEXT services talent headcount in Australia in the next two years and build a team of practice leads, focusing on innovation, technology advancement, artificial intelligence, 5G-enabled internet of things (IoT) applications, advanced analytics and cloud. 

“We have witnessed the increasing pace at which both public and commercial sectors in Australia are adopting a digital-first approach to transform the way in which we live and work,” Conti said. 

“Through our newly established and dedicated NCS NEXT practice in Australia, Optus Enterprise and NCS can help Australian enterprises and government agencies leverage cloud-based innovations to unlock competitive advantages and enhance customer or citizen experiences. 

“Driven by an instinctive appetite for innovation and an access to a regional talent pool, NCS is in a unique position to help our clients accelerate their digital transformation journey.” 

Chris Mitchell (Optus Business)Credit: Optus Business
Chris Mitchell (Optus Business)

The move will also allow Optus to expand its own digital enterprise capabilities, according to Chris Mitchell, managing director of Optus Enterprise. 

“Given the tremendous pace at which enterprise clients are adopting digital-first innovations, we feel the timing is right to bring this partnership to the market and look forward to working with NCS to continue this expansion,” he said.