Former Accenture executive André Conti will lead new Australian branch Singaporean IT service provider NCS Next has officially launched in Australia through a partnership with Optus Enterprise. Like Optus, NCS is owned by Singaporean telecommunications giant Singtel and will partner with the Australian sister company to supply IT and digital services to Australian clients. The new company will be led by Andre Conti, who spent almost 30 years with Accenture, most recently serving as its cloud and infrastructure leads in Australia and New Zealand. Having left Accenture in January, Conti spent two months working at Semaphore Consulting Partners before quietly joining NCS in June. His new organisation will offer digital services, including data analytics, artificial intelligence and mobility. The company said it plans to grow its NEXT services talent headcount in Australia in the next two years and build a team of practice leads, focusing on innovation, technology advancement, artificial intelligence, 5G-enabled internet of things (IoT) applications, advanced analytics and cloud. "We have witnessed the increasing pace at which both public and commercial sectors in Australia are adopting a digital-first approach to transform the way in which we live and work," Conti said. "Through our newly established and dedicated NCS NEXT practice 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. "Driven by an instinctive appetite for innovation and an access to a regional talent pool, NCS is in a unique position to help our clients accelerate their digital transformation journey." IDG-Owned The move will also allow Optus to expand its own digital enterprise capabilities, according to Chris Mitchell, managing director of Optus Enterprise. "Given the tremendous pace at which enterprise clients are adopting digital-first innovations, we feel the timing is right to bring this partnership to the market and look forward to working with NCS to continue this expansion," he said. Related content news Regional NSW AI preparation lacking Deficits in infrastructure and education need to be addressed. By Sasha Karen 26 Apr 2024 4 mins Innovation Emerging Technology news IBM to acquire HashiCorp for US$6.4B in hybrid cloud, AI play Close to half of HashiCorp’s voting power, at 43 per cent, has entered into an agreement to approve the deal. By Sasha Karen 26 Apr 2024 2 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Cloud Computing Vendors and Providers news Digital hub reopens in Cremorne The hub previously operated in a “very limited capacity” and could not roll out program and hold industry events prior to the refurbishment. By Sasha Karen 24 Apr 2024 2 mins Business Operations Emerging Technology Industry news HP brings AI PCs to Australia Includes extra processing power for AI workloads. By Sasha Karen 24 Apr 2024 2 mins Emerging Technology Vendors and Providers SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe