Vodafone is to enter into a strategic partnership with Accenture to commercialise its shared operations to accelerate growth, enhance customer service and drive significant efficiencies for Vodafone’s operating companies and partner markets, as well as creating new career opportunities for its people.

The strategic partnership will build on Vodafone’s shared services unit, Vodafone Intelligent Solutions (VOIS), to create a scaled, commercially-driven and more efficient organisation with high quality services and enhanced speed to market for its portfolio of offerings. Vodafone will retain majority interest, management control and sourcing decisions.

The new unit will utilise Accenture’s technology and transformation services such as its digital solutions and platforms, and AI expertise. It will also tap into Accenture’s learning capabilities to continuously create new skilling and career paths for its people. Accenture will invest in the order of €150m (£131m) for a minority stake in the partnership.

“Today’s announcement is a significant development for Vodafone as we change and simplify the way we work to better serve our customers and drive growth,” said Vodafone Group CEO, Margherita Della Valle. “The partnership with Accenture opens up new opportunities for our company and our people. We’re excited about the potential of our new commercial shared services organisation and the potential to serve not only Vodafone’s own markets but our Telco partners across the industry.”

“We are proud to have partnered with Vodafone for over 20 years across many strategic programs,” said Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO, Accenture. “We are excited to take our partnership to a new level with this ground-breaking joint venture that will help power Vodafone’s reinvention and create significant value for their operating companies, partner markets and employees.This move speaks to their ambition to work in entirely new ways, reduce structural complexity, open avenues for growth, create better experiences for their customers and provide additional career paths for their people.”

Vodafone and Accenture have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, and the strategic partnership is subject to completion of the definitive agreements, which are expected to be completed in the Spring of 2024. The partnership will commit to deliver best-in-class service levels and innovation to Vodafone Group through a long-term agreement.