Lloyds Banking Group to create digital workplace with Microsoft

Lloyds Banking Group is transforming the IT tools its staff use through a deal with Microsoft, as a component of its £3bn digital transformation.

The bank is rolling out productivity tools and increasing security through Office 365 through Microsoft’s Managed Desktop (MMD) service.

Since 2017, Lloyds has been working with Microsoft to build, test and evaluate the scale, security and agility requirements of MMD. Microsoft said that after rolling out the technology across the business, the bank will become its biggest enterprise financial services user in the world.

The MMD package includes Microsoft 365 Enterprise, device leasing and support services, as well as device management.

Lloyds Group CIO John Chambers said: “As part of our digital transformation, we are creating a modern digital workplace and I am really excited about the impact of this new technology. A core principle of Microsoft Managed Desktop is the idea that an evolved approach can give colleagues fantastic experiences on workplace devices that stay current and secure with Microsoft 365.”

Microsoft said it is working with Lloyds to help transform user culture at the bank as well as the technology. “Becoming a truly digital organisation requires both technical and cultural transformation,” said Cindy Rose, CEO of Microsoft UK.

Jen Tippin, Lloyds Bank’s group people and productivity director, said the deal will transform the way staff work and improve operational resilience.

In 2018, Lloyds Banking Group announced it would spend £3bn on business transformation, including significant IT investment. It said there were four areas of focus – customer experience, digitising the group, maximising group capabilities, and transforming ways of working.

At the time, CEO Antonio Horta-Osorio said: “We will continue to transform ourselves to succeed in this digital world, and the next phase of our strategy will ensure we have the capabilities to deliver future success.”