Travelex
Travelex is the world’s largest provider of Foreign exchange currency services with around 1,200 retail outlets around the globe. In 2011 Travelex sold their Card Management business to Mastercard for £290m and their Global Payments business to Western Union for £606m.

The Problem
The Travelex group went from three defined lines of business to one in a very short period of time. This resulted in a large element of costs being consolidated on to Currency Services alone. This combined with the strategic vision to grow customer revenues by over 300%, increase their global reach and brand identity and reap the benefits of the explosion of online, mobile, tablet and ‘i-devices’ meant an increasing reliance on technology and one that the existing technology landscape could not support.

The Solution
We provided consulting support for the initial global review of systems and processes and provided the management team with a gap analysis of where they currently are and where they want to be. We leveraged existing relationships with Oracle to provide an Oracle Insight review and build a full business case for the implementation of an end-to-end Oracle solution. Additionally we prepared a board pack to gain approval for the significant investment required, engaged with stakeholders across the group to introduce the massive transformation to them, developed a communications strategy and worked closely with Oracle to mobilise the programme for a successful launch.

The Benefits
We helped the Chief Information Officer gain Board approval for the investment required to carry out the substantial change in business processes and systems. In addition we mobilised the company across the globe to be ready for the transformation, before handing over to Oracle to conduct the global design.

National Australia Bank, Clydesdale Bank, Yorkshire Bank
NAB is the owner of the Clydesdale Bank and the Yorkshire Bank and they have c2.7 million customers in the UK providing retail, business and corporate banking services.

The Problem
NAB in the UK took the strategic decision to outsource its entire ATM network and Debit Card book to First Data International. This was the first time a major bank had tried to outsource such a core service and indeed it was a completely new line of business for the outsource provider as well. The project was over budget and timelines were being missed when we became involved.

The Solution
We were engaged to provide programme leadership for the bank. We reviewed the current situation and took the following actions: a re-baselining of the the programme plans, a restructuring of the project teams, the co-location of the bank’s project teams and First Data’s project teams, the launch of a new communications strategy and a major restructuring of programme governance, pushing decision making down in to the project to avoid the perennial escalation of non critical items.

The Benefits
We got the programme back on track, relationships between the bank and First Data were vastly improved and the joint project teams enjoyed a far more harmonious working environment. The roll-out of 900 new and upgraded ATMs to First Data was completed on time and within budget in February 2011.

Diageo
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks company with sales in 2007-2008 of £10.6 bn. It produces a number of the world’s best known brands including Smirnoff, Johnny Walker, Captain Morgan, Baileys and Guinness.

The Problem
In 2004 Diageo outsourced most of its work in the digital arena to Accenture. Given the importance of its brands and the need to have a local presence, areas such as web development are key to the company’s success. The outsourced contract was failing to deliver the expected results.

The Solution
We were charged with the responsibility of turning around the contract. A number of initiatives had been launched under the umbrella name of ‘Digital @ Diageo’. We analyzed each of these 30 initiatives and restructured the programme into four workstreams with a programme manager in charge of each and project managers with accountability for each project.

We established effective programme governance, with a programme board, a Project Management Office, each of the workstreams had a plan to follow and was managed through to a successful conclusion.

The Benefits
The Digital @ Diageo programme was restructured and refocused. Significant improvements were recorded in areas such as being able to measure customer satisfaction, technical architecture, web delivery and overall customer satisfaction

API Software
API are one of Scotland’s fastest growing software companies. They have two distinct lines of business, one as a Microsoft Gold Partner providing Business Intelligence consulting and support and one in design and delivery of a suite of products in financial reconciliations.

The Problem
API have shown rapid and unprecedented growth in the past two years. The resultant growth has put pressure on operations and their ability to sustain delivering high quality products and services.

The Solution
We were engaged to carry out a comprehensive organizational review. The results of the review have produced a two year strategic development plan incorporating two new operating models for each business area; the implementation of a Quality Management System; the application of Programme Governance across the company and a management development programme to facilitate the growth of management along with the business.

HBOS
Halifax Bank of Scotland are one of the UK’s leading banks with a truly nationwide presence.

The Problem
As part of the government’s faster payments legislation, HBOS had to implement a new and faster system to deal with investigations. The current system was manually based and paper driven and could not meet the new requirements.

The Solution
We reviewed the business plan, set up the team of blended resources between consultants and HBOS subject matter experts and project managed the requirements gathering, solution design, TOM design, implementation planning, testing strategy, training and go-live support.

Skandia Group PLC
Skandia are one of the world’s leading financial institutions with offices in 16 countries around the world. It is owned by the huge Old Mutual Group based in South Africa.

The Problem
Skandia did not have a unified Human Resource Management System. The consequence was that it was very difficult for senior executives to access crucial data about staff numbers, salaries, retention rates etc. This was hampering decision making and was hampering performance.

The Solution
We were engaged to programme manage the Skandia HRMS project. This involved the mobilization phase where the project team were recruited and the business case reviewed and then three parallel workstreams of business process design, solution design and procurement.

The Benefits
We provided Skandia with a new Target Operating Model for the provision of HR services. This greatly reduced their costs and provided an automated online service that could be accessed around the world at any time, based on ORACLE HR.

Standard Life
Standard Life is a major asset managing group with around 7 million customers. Standard Life plc has around 1.5 million shareholders in over 50 countries.

The Problem
Standard Life required project management expertise to help them through demutualization and Initial Public Offering

The Solution
We provided project management expertise to mobilize the project to transfer £90bn of investment funds to the new institution.

The Benefits
Upskilling and knowledge transfer to Standard Life’s employees and the successful transfer of funds on the delivery date.

The Scottish Government
In 2004, the Scottish Government had a budget of almost £30bn covering all of the devolved public services in Scotland.

The Problem
The government had set itself a target in 2004 of making efficiency savings of £1.2bn. The missing piece was a strategy that would enable them to realize those savings.

The Solution
We presented a strategic, fully costed plan to the Finance Minister and the First Minister. The plan used the following five levers to provide the necessary efficiency savings: the establishment of a Shared Services Centre for the public sector in Scotland; Asset Management; Procurement, Human capital and Radical Cost Reduction.

The Benefits
Government Ministers were able to develop their thinking and planning around our strategic plans.