Finanz Informatik and IBM extend and expand collaboration
Finanz Informatik (FI), the central IT service provider for over 340 savings banks in the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, has extended its collaboration with IBM (NYSE: IBM). The new contract focuses on modernizing FI's infrastructure with AI, automation, and hybrid cloud technology. The agreement includes implementation of state-of-the-art IBM mainframe, Power, and storage systems, along with AI-supported software components from the watsonx portfolio.
The partnership aims to accelerate digital transformation through Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform, enhance cyber resilience in compliance with EU's DORA regulations, deliver privacy-focused AI solutions, and ensure sustainable IT infrastructure development. This collaboration will enable FI to improve service delivery, protect critical financial data, and maintain platform independence while supporting capacity growth.
Finanz Informatik (FI), il fornitore centrale di servizi IT per oltre 340 casse di risparmio del gruppo Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, ha ampliato la sua collaborazione con IBM (NYSE: IBM). Il nuovo contratto si concentra sulla modernizzazione dell'infrastruttura di FI attraverso intelligenza artificiale, automazione e tecnologia cloud ibrida. L'accordo prevede l'implementazione di sistemi IBM all'avanguardia per mainframe, Power e storage, insieme a componenti software supportati dall'IA del portfolio watsonx.
La partnership mira ad accelerare la trasformazione digitale tramite la piattaforma Red Hat OpenShift Container, migliorare la resilienza informatica in conformità con le normative europee DORA, offrire soluzioni AI orientate alla privacy e garantire uno sviluppo sostenibile dell'infrastruttura IT. Questa collaborazione permetterà a FI di migliorare l'erogazione dei servizi, proteggere i dati finanziari critici e mantenere l'indipendenza della piattaforma supportando la crescita della capacità.
Finanz Informatik (FI), el proveedor central de servicios informáticos para más de 340 cajas de ahorro del grupo Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, ha ampliado su colaboración con IBM (NYSE: IBM). El nuevo contrato se centra en modernizar la infraestructura de FI con inteligencia artificial, automatización y tecnología de nube híbrida. El acuerdo incluye la implementación de sistemas IBM de última generación para mainframe, Power y almacenamiento, junto con componentes de software con soporte de IA del portafolio watsonx.
La asociación busca acelerar la transformación digital mediante la plataforma Red Hat OpenShift Container, mejorar la ciberresiliencia conforme a las regulaciones DORA de la UE, ofrecer soluciones de IA enfocadas en la privacidad y asegurar un desarrollo sostenible de la infraestructura TI. Esta colaboración permitirá a FI mejorar la prestación de servicios, proteger datos financieros críticos y mantener la independencia de la plataforma mientras apoyan el crecimiento de capacidad.
Finanz Informatik (FI)는 Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe 내 340개 이상의 저축은행을 위한 중앙 IT 서비스 제공업체로서, IBM (NYSE: IBM)과의 협력을 확대했습니다. 새로운 계약은 인공지능, 자동화, 하이브리드 클라우드 기술을 활용하여 FI의 인프라를 현대화하는 데 중점을 둡니다. 이 계약에는 최첨단 IBM 메인프레임, Power, 스토리지 시스템과 watsonx 포트폴리오의 AI 지원 소프트웨어 구성요소 도입이 포함됩니다.
이번 파트너십은 Red Hat OpenShift 컨테이너 플랫폼을 통해 디지털 전환을 가속화하고, EU의 DORA 규정을 준수하는 사이버 복원력을 강화하며, 개인정보 보호 중심의 AI 솔루션을 제공하고, 지속 가능한 IT 인프라 개발을 보장하는 것을 목표로 합니다. 이를 통해 FI는 서비스 제공을 개선하고, 중요한 금융 데이터를 보호하며, 플랫폼 독립성을 유지하면서 용량 확장을 지원할 수 있게 됩니다.
Finanz Informatik (FI), le fournisseur central de services informatiques pour plus de 340 caisses d’épargne du groupe Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, a étendu sa collaboration avec IBM (NYSE: IBM). Le nouveau contrat vise à moderniser l’infrastructure de FI grâce à l’intelligence artificielle, l’automatisation et la technologie cloud hybride. L’accord comprend la mise en œuvre des systèmes IBM mainframe, Power et de stockage de pointe, ainsi que des composants logiciels assistés par IA issus du portefeuille watsonx.
Ce partenariat a pour objectif d’accélérer la transformation numérique via la plateforme Red Hat OpenShift Container, de renforcer la cyber-résilience en conformité avec les réglementations européennes DORA, de fournir des solutions IA axées sur la confidentialité et d’assurer un développement durable de l’infrastructure informatique. Cette collaboration permettra à FI d’améliorer la prestation de services, de protéger les données financières critiques et de maintenir l’indépendance de la plateforme tout en soutenant la croissance des capacités.
Finanz Informatik (FI), der zentrale IT-Dienstleister für über 340 Sparkassen der Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, hat seine Zusammenarbeit mit IBM (NYSE: IBM) ausgeweitet. Der neue Vertrag konzentriert sich auf die Modernisierung der FI-Infrastruktur mittels Künstlicher Intelligenz, Automatisierung und Hybrid-Cloud-Technologie. Die Vereinbarung umfasst die Implementierung modernster IBM Mainframe-, Power- und Speichersysteme sowie KI-gestützter Softwarekomponenten aus dem watsonx-Portfolio.
Die Partnerschaft zielt darauf ab, die digitale Transformation durch die Red Hat OpenShift Container-Plattform zu beschleunigen, die Cyber-Resilienz gemäß der EU-DORA-Verordnung zu verbessern, datenschutzorientierte KI-Lösungen bereitzustellen und eine nachhaltige IT-Infrastrukturentwicklung sicherzustellen. Diese Zusammenarbeit ermöglicht es FI, die Servicebereitstellung zu verbessern, kritische Finanzdaten zu schützen und Plattformunabhängigkeit zu wahren, während das Kapazitätswachstum unterstützt wird.
- Contract ensures long-term planning security and economic advantages
- Implementation of advanced AI and automation capabilities through watsonx portfolio
- Enhanced cyber resilience with robust backup and recovery capabilities
- Improved operational efficiency through modernized core IT systems
- Platform independence and openness maintained while introducing innovative solutions
- None.
Insights
IBM secures significant contract renewal with major German financial IT provider, strengthening its position in financial services technology.
This contract extension between IBM and Finanz Informatik (FI) represents a significant enterprise deal for IBM, as FI serves over 340 savings banks in Germany. The agreement solidifies IBM's foothold in the critical financial services sector, particularly in Europe.
The deal encompasses IBM's full technology stack - mainframes, Power systems, storage, and most notably, AI solutions from the watsonx portfolio. This highlights IBM's success in selling integrated solutions rather than isolated products, maximizing revenue potential per client.
What makes this particularly valuable is the focus on regulatory compliance with the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), positioning IBM as a trusted partner for meeting stringent European financial regulations. The contract's emphasis on cyber resilience and platform independence addresses key concerns in the banking sector.
Most promising for IBM's growth strategy is the AI component. By implementing watsonx technologies and AIOps solutions, IBM demonstrates real-world enterprise applications for its AI offerings beyond theoretical use cases. This marks a practical deployment of IBM's AI technology in a highly regulated industry.
The multi-year nature of this contract provides IBM with stable, predictable revenue - exactly what investors value in the enterprise technology sector. While specific financial terms aren't disclosed, these enterprise contracts typically represent multi-million dollar commitments that contribute significantly to IBM's services and software revenue streams.
IBM's ability to retain and expand relationships with major financial institutions like Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe validates its strategic pivot toward hybrid cloud and AI services, the core growth engines identified by CEO Arvind Krishna.
IBM supports Finanz Informatik in its strategic initiatives with AI, automation, and hybrid cloud technology
BÖBLINGEN,
Finanz Informatik is a central IT service provider for more than 340 savings banks and other network partners, providing efficient, secure, and regulatory-compliant solutions, which are supplied through FI's own data centers. To further improve the already strong position of its banking customers in the digital world, Finanz Informatik relies on the latest IBM technologies for the continued modernization of its software and hardware infrastructure. With the latest generation of computer systems, FI is expanding its capabilities to leverage the advantages and the full potential of cloud computing, automation, and AI for its data center operations, while ensuring platform independence.
The new contract with IBM enables further capacity growth for the next few years and will strengthen cyber resilience in compliance with the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). The contract includes the use of state-of-the-art IBM mainframe, Power, and storage systems as well as modern system software components with AI support from the watsonx product portfolio. This allows cloud-enabled applications to be automatically distributed and managed across various computer systems running in the company's own data center.
The aim is to support Finanz Informatik initiatives and projects that provide Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe with a host of strategic advantages:
- Accelerated digital transformation: By building on technologies such as the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform as a consistent hybrid cloud foundation and IBM AIOps solutions, Finanz Informatik will continue to modernize its core IT systems and applications, enabling more efficient operations and improve service delivery across the network of companies.
- Improved cyber resilience: With proven IBM solutions, Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe can benefit from robust backup and recovery capabilities that help protect critical financial data. This makes Finanz Informatik a pioneer in the use of such innovative and resilient solutions in
Europe . - Innovation powered by AI: By making the most of IBM's AI offerings based on the watsonx portfolio, Finanz Informatik will deliver privacy-focused AI solutions for Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe that enable real-time insights, automation, and security services.
- Sustainability and future-proofing: The agreement underscores the commitment to sustainability and helps ensure that the IT infrastructure continues to evolve in an environmentally friendly way with the energy-efficient IBM mainframe and high-end Power servers of the latest and upcoming technology generations.
"Our contract with IBM is another important building block on our way to inspiring our customers with innovative solutions. Together, we will use the agreed contract components and new technologies to drive forward the digital transformation in the Sparkassen Finanzgruppe while at the same time securing growing capacity requirements in the future. Signing the contract with IBM provides us with long-term planning security and economic advantages in challenging times," emphasizes Martin Waldmann, Executive Director for Human Resources, Finance, Internal Services and Risk Management at Finanz Informatik.
"By signing the agreement, we are continuing a long-standing and successful cooperation. Our customers benefit from the continuous development of our IT platform, enabling us to guarantee a high level of security, availability, and cost-effectiveness. We preserve what makes us strong. On top of that and together with IBM, we're introducing new, innovative products for our OSPlus financial platform. Both companies – IBM and FI – will contribute their specific expertise and benefit from the intensive long-term cooperation. With this collaboration, we can deliver a good combination of proven systems and new technologies, strengthening the foundation of our platform independence, platform openness, and the sovereign operation of our applications," adds Detlev Klage, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Finanz Informatik.
"Across the global financial services industry, we're seeing banks and other financial institutions increasingly embrace exponential technologies, including generative AI, to improve customer experience, increase operational efficiency, and mitigate risk to stay competitive," said Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President of Software and Chief Commercial Officer at IBM. "Access to a robust ecosystem of technology partners is critical as financial institutions look to boost productivity and increase value for their customers. With this new agreement, Finanz Informatik is creating a solid foundation for the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe to continue to offer its stakeholders exceptional added value and innovation."
About Finanz Informatik
Finanz Informatik, based in
Finanz Informatik offers a complete IT service – from application development to infrastructure and data center operations to consulting, training, and support. Subsidiaries and shareholdings such as Finanz Informatik Solutions Plus, Finanz Informatik Technologie Service, inasys, Star Finanz, Web Computing, and FINMAS complement the IT portfolio of Finanz Informatik with their wide range of services.
Finanz Informatik provides services for around 114 million bank accounts; more than 205 billion technical transactions are being processed on computers and systems every year. The company employed around 4,650 people at the end of 2023. Together with its subsidiaries, FI generated sales of
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions, and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service. Visit ibm.com for more information.
Media Contact:
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maushart@de.ibm.com
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