AstraZeneca spends $1.4bn on IBM outsourcing deal

AstraZeneca is renewing its outsourcing ties with IBM in a seven-year, global deal worth $1.4 billion (684 million), in a move it hopes will help enable it to focus on scientific innovation as well as reducing technology overheads.

Under the agreement, IBM will provide IT infrastructure managed services to the pharmaceutical's operations spanning 60 countries around the world, including functions not covered by the previous partnership.

While IBM will deliver server and storage hosting, PC management, network and communications service provision such as email, AstraZeneca will still retain overall control of its IT strategy and applications.

"This innovative agreement with IBM will enable AstraZeneca to deliver greater value to the business by providing consistent infrastructure services globally, enabling a faster and more efficient rollout of new technology, with improved levels of service," said Richard Williams, AstraZeneca's chief information officer (CIO).

Maggie has been a journalist since 1999, starting her career as an editorial assistant on then-weekly magazine Computing, before working her way up to senior reporter level. In 2006, just weeks before ITPro was launched, Maggie joined Dennis Publishing as a reporter. Having worked her way up to editor of ITPro, she was appointed group editor of CloudPro and ITPro in April 2012. She became the editorial director and took responsibility for ChannelPro, in 2016.

Her areas of particular interest, aside from cloud, include management and C-level issues, the business value of technology, green and environmental issues and careers to name but a few.