Accenture secured a role in a more than €300 million corporate IT transformation project being undertaken by Italian cooperative banking group BCC Iccrea, a deal the consultancy stated carries important reputational benefits.

The company explained BCC Iccrea is seeking to improve the levels of service offered by its 114 member banks by refining and updating essential core functions, with a goal of employing digital channels to offer new products, along with an ambition to accelerate its use of AI.

Accenture’s role in the three-year transformation programme covers digital platforms, what it termed “core systems” spanning customer account details and the cooperative’s existing data platform.

Massimiliano Colangelo, head of Financial Services at Accenture Italy, argued the arrangement “reinforces our position as a preferred partner for innovation in the banking sector”.

The executive explained Accenture’s work would involve cloud computing, AI and advanced data analytics, though acknowledged “human expertise” will also be a key element in delivering a “profound transformation” of the banking group’s systems.

Accenture is set to acquire an equity stake in the banking group’s IT arm BCC Sistemi Informatici as part of the deal.

The company explained it is also tasked with “developing a new service model” to up the banking group’s “security and resilience levels”.