NCS announces expanded collaboration with Microsoft to accelerate AI and Cloud Innovation

Collaboration includes creation of a dedicated growth engine in NCS, as well as new Intellectual Property (IP) and end-to-end solutions, unlocking greater value for clients in Asia Pacific.

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 11 January 2024 - NCS today announced an expanded collaboration with Microsoft in Asia Pacific to enable clients to accelerate AI and Cloud solutions. NCS will create a dedicated Microsoft growth engine with comprehensive capabilities across all six Microsoft solution areas[1]. This stronger alliance aims to provide enterprises and governments in Asia Pacific with innovative solutions and new IP by NCS, deployed on Microsoft technology and offered on the Microsoft marketplace.

Based on a shared vision of harnessing technology and innovation, the collaboration will include investments in IP creation, unified Go-to-Market, and accelerated buildup of capabilities. NCS will invest an initial SGD 1.5 million to develop next-gen solutions and IP.

Through the expanded collaboration, clients across Asia Pacific can better harness emerging technologies including Generative AI to create new efficiencies and growth opportunities amid a rapidly evolving business landscape. They will be supported closely by Microsoft's technology experts and the 1,000-strong certified expertise across NCS offices. Additionally, clients can take advantage of NCS' end-to-end technology services, strong Asia Pacific delivery track record, and proven expertise in localisation of solutions.

Ng Kuo Pin, CEO of NCS, said, "This collaboration brings our long-standing partnership with Microsoft to the next level. It strengthens NCS' commitment to drive innovation and positive impact with our clients and partners for the communities and enterprises we serve across Asia Pacific. We will create cutting-edge IP, harness solutions, and build capabilities in emerging technologies. We are excited to build the next generation of end-to-end solutions, accelerate digital transformation of industries, and create breakthrough innovations with Microsoft."

Ahmed Mazhari, President, Microsoft Asia, said, "We are thrilled to collaborate with NCS to drive innovation and accelerate growth in Asia Pacific. As we reach an inflection point with AI and cloud breakthroughs, Microsoft will continue to invest in advancing technology and solutions that empower digital transformation and enable organisations and individuals to achieve more."

Dedicated Growth Engine

As part of this collaboration, NCS is establishing a dedicated growth engine for Microsoft solutions, to orchestrate and accelerate innovation, sales, and delivery for the organisation. The Microsoft business at NCS will be led by Sharath Burla, Senior Partner, and John Kelly, Global Microsoft Alliance Lead. The team will comprehensively cover all six Microsoft solution areas: Infrastructure, Data & AI, Digital & App Innovation, Modern Work, Security, and Business Applications, in which NCS has achieved Solution Partner designation from Microsoft.

Enterprise and government clients can now better leverage the capabilities of the full suite of Microsoft technologies together with NCS' comprehensive end-to-end solutions and capabilities. This accelerates their deployment of Cloud Migration and Digital Transformation, as well as helps them better harness the benefits of AI, Hybrid Cloud and Security for greater transformational impact. It will be facilitated by on-ground experts and through close orchestration between the NCS and Microsoft teams.

Clients will be able to tap into NCS' spectrum of solutions and services that encompass core services in application, infrastructure, engineering and cybersecurity, as well as services in digital, data, cloud and platforms offered by NCS' digital services arm, NEXT. Furthermore, NEXT will play a key role in co-creating AI-enabled innovations with clients and deploy them on Microsoft technology. For example, NEXT has combined NCS' in-house hyperlocal speech-to-text engine with Microsoft Copilot to enable high conversational accuracy, which is critical for many Generative AI applications.

NCS' network of delivery centres in Pune, Hanoi, Manila, Chengdu, and Guangzhou will also provide clients with cost effective delivery models, including the convergence of talent and assets across global operations. The expanded array of end-to-end offerings will be showcased at Tesseract, NCS' Innovation Centre in Singapore, and Microsoft Innovation Centres in the region.

Accelerating AI and Cloud Innovation

Through this expanded collaboration, NCS will make Go-to-Market investments to provide expedited pre-built and validated Microsoft solutions to clients, accelerating their digital transformation journey, managing growing enterprise complexity, and streamlining connectivity and collaboration.

NCS will also work closely with clients to adopt and leverage Generative AI, Cloud, Security, and a complete suite of Copilot-powered productivity technologies, to reap higher value from their ecosystem through improving operational performance, transforming customer experience, and achieving new business growth.

In addition, as part of this collaboration, NCS will invest in GitHub Copilot advocates to leverage AI to strengthen effectiveness and quality in software development projects. This will result in better quality project development and deliveries for clients.


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About NCS

NCS, a subsidiary of Singtel Group, 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 12,000-strong team across 58 specialisations, NCS provides differentiated and end-to-end technology services to clients with its NEXT capabilities in digital, data, 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.