SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Accenture (NYSE:ACN), Avanade, and Microsoft today announced moves designed to extend their leadership in the market and commitment to maximizing the value of the Microsoft ecosystem for clients. The actions include the appointment of Debra (Debbie) Polishook, group chief executive – Accenture Operations, to the Avanade board of directors and greater investments in new technology capabilities to accelerate the digital transformation of clients.

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Debra (Debbie) Polishook, group chief executive - Accenture Operations (Photo: Business Wire)

Debbie Polishook is an accomplished business leader with broad expertise in consulting services, business strategy execution, and operational excellence, having led numerous areas of business over her 30+ year career at Accenture. As group chief executive of Accenture Operations, Debbie is responsible for delivering Accenture’s comprehensive portfolio of business process and infrastructure services, and leads the company’s extensive cloud business. Her team of Operations professionals develop, sell and deliver differentiated intelligent infrastructure, cloud and business process services to drive transformational value and productivity for clients.

Since 2000, when Accenture and Microsoft created joint venture Avanade, the companies have worked together to deliver more than 10,000 projects for 4,000+ clients. With 24,000 Microsoft certifications across 75,000 Microsoft skilled professionals, the alliance has the largest number of Microsoft specialists in the industry. With cloud and digital innovations proving to deliver strong business value for clients, Microsoft's three cloud strategy is fuelling an acceleration in more joint investments that help clients maximize the results of adopting Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Office 365 and Dynamics 365.

For example, Accenture, Avanade and Microsoft helped COOP Italia tap into the flexibility and scalability of the public cloud with Microsoft Azure, while leveraging new technology like the Internet of Things (IoT) to reimagine the grocery shopping experience. Accenture, Avanade and Microsoft continue to share significant joint investments including Accenture Hybrid Cloud Solution for Microsoft Azure, implementing SAP on Microsoft Azure, and Accenture Connected Platform as a Service on Microsoft Azure, as well as investments in the areas of security, data analytics, mixed reality, and artificial intelligence.

“Debbie brings a wealth of industry experience to the Avanade board of directors and I’m pleased to welcome her to the team,” said Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s chief technology & innovation officer and chairman of the Avanade board. “Her appointment and our increased investment in our Microsoft alliance should send a strong message that Accenture, Avanade and Microsoft are working more closely than ever to deliver new thinking, innovation and deep industry knowledge to help the world’s most recognized brands digitally transform their businesses. Together, we are investing in the future and aligning the greatest strengths of our respective organizations to deliver secure cloud and digital innovation at speed.”

“Customers around the world in every industry seek new ways to understand and serve customers, create new markets and products, reinvent operations, and modernize how employees work,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president, Microsoft Worldwide Commercial Business. “Together Microsoft, Accenture and Avanade help companies harness the power of the cloud and artificial intelligence to drive their digital transformation strategies forward. I am looking forward to working with Debbie and the other board members to help Avanade continue to grow and lead in the Microsoft ecosystem.”

“Together, Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft share a common passion and vision for delivering bold innovation that makes a genuine impact on our clients, their customers, our people, and the broader Microsoft ecosystem,” said Adam Warby, Avanade CEO. “There is tremendous opportunity in the marketplace and we are uniquely positioned to bring clients the most experienced team and the sharpest thinking that they need to succeed. While we are infusing new energy and fresh perspective into our board with Debbie’s appointment, we are also focused on investing the future.”

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 394,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

About Avanade

Avanade is the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services, business solutions and design-led experiences delivered through the power of people and the Microsoft ecosystem. Our professionals bring bold, fresh thinking combined with technology, business and industry expertise to help fuel transformation and growth for our clients and their customers. Avanade has 30,000 digitally connected people across 24 countries, bringing clients the best thinking through a collaborative culture that honors diversity and reflects the communities in which we operate. Majority owned by Accenture, Avanade was founded in 2000 by Accenture LLP and Microsoft Corporation. Learn more at www.avanade.com.

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