NCS launches NEXT Cloud Centre of Excellence in Australia as part of APAC expansion

• Expands on NCS' presence in Australia and aims to encourage innovation collaboration between Australia and Singapore
• Helps governments and enterprise leverage digital technologies to transform the way they operate and thrive in the digital economy
• Aims to grow local team to 1,500 and create 500 new digital jobs

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 26 August 2021 - NCS today announced the launch of NCS NEXT Cloud Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Melbourne. The CoE will offer governments and enterprises greater support on accelerating their cloud initiatives. This is part of NCS's regional expansion strategy into Australia, following the partnership with Optus Enterprise in December 2020 to bring integrated ICT and digital services to Australian clients across a wide range of industries and government sectors. The CoE will also facilitate expertise exchange and deepen collaboration between Singapore and Australia, helping both cities build up cloud expertise in a competitive talent market.

The setup of the CoE follows an earlier announcement made this year on the formation of NCS NEXT to help organisations leverage digital technologies to transform the way they operate. This would involve innovating and co-creating new applications, processes, and services with organisations to better service their end customers or stakeholders. The NCS NEXT Cloud CoE in Melbourne is part of the company's NEXT Innovation Triangle which also includes nodes in Singapore and Shenzhen and draws on the unique strengths each city brings in terms of talent, clients, and innovation.

Andre Conti, Head of NEXT Solutions, Australia, said, "We have witnessed the increasing pace at which both public and commercial sectors in Australia are adopting a digital-first approach to transforming the way in which we live and work. Through the NCS NEXT Cloud CoE launch 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. By tapping into NCS' 40 years of experience in supporting the public sector in APAC and our strong partner ecosystem, NCS Australia will play an active role in nurturing and pushing the local ICT space forwards".

Partnering Victoria to grow a tech ecosystem and develop talents

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed today at the Cloud CoE launch, with The State Government of Victoria represented by Invest Victoria as well as the Department of Treasury and Finance. This partnership leverages the CoE to promote innovation in cloud, reach new customers, drive talent development, and advance Victoria's competitiveness in the technology sector.

With 80 per cent of Australian enterprises expected to shift to cloud-centric infrastructures and applications by the end of 2021, the launch of NCS NEXT Cloud CoE comes at an opportune time to help Australian organisations navigate the complex tech ecosystem and accelerate their cloud deployment.

Tim Pallas, Victorian Treasurer said, "Victoria is the tech capital of Australia and we're so proud to welcome NCS to Melbourne, creating jobs and continuing our thriving reputation of innovation and excellence."

To support the growth of the Cloud business in Australia, NCS is also committed to building the digital talent pool in Victoria, focusing on capabilities in innovation, artificial intelligence, 5G-enabled internet of things (IoT) applications, advanced analytics, and cloud. NCS aims to grow the local team to 1,500 and create 500 new digital skilled jobs over the next few years to support the needs and aspirations of the Victorian and national ICT communities.

About NCS

NCS is a leading technology services firm with presence in Asia Pacific and partners with governments and enterprises to advance communities through technology. Combining the experience and expertise of its 10,000-strong team across 49 specialisations, NCS provides differentiated and end-to-end technology services to clients with its NEXT capabilities in digital, cloud and platforms, as well as core offerings in application, infrastructure, engineering and cybersecurity. NCS also believes in building a strong partner ecosystem with leading technology players, research institutions and start-ups to support open innovation and co-creation. For more information, visit ncs.co.

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