Global Retail Cloud Transformation

Business context

Global expansion across 150+ markets had driven scale and operating model complexity. The estate carried 1,200+ ageing applications, fragmented operations and siloed systems that slowed decisions and constrained growth.

Transformation challenge

Technology debt was increasing risk and reducing agility. The mandate was unambiguous: eliminate infrastructure debt, achieve regulatory compliance and build a platform capable of supporting the next decade of growth — without interrupting trade.

Strategic response

A hybrid cloud strategy aligned to business outcomes and industry best practice, delivered as four migration waves across 15 months with board-level governance from the outset.

Operating model

Global delivery was consolidated and service operations standardised, with named ownership for each capability and performance visible to the executive team.

Governance

Board-level oversight ensured alignment, risk control and value realisation, with clear decision rights, escalation paths and portfolio control across all four waves.

Technology

Application modernisation and migration into a governed cloud landing zone of 185 resource groups, with regional data centre exit and resilient architecture by design.

Executive decisions

• —Adopt a hybrid cloud operating model — balancing innovation, resilience and cost across 150 markets.
• —Sequence migration by business capability — minimising disruption and protecting revenue continuity.
• —Establish executive governance early — accelerating decisions and clarifying accountability at every level.
• —Prioritise risk over delivery speed — sustaining business continuity across millions of transactions.
• —Design for long-term operational sustainability — scalable, cost-efficient cloud operations beyond the programme.