Allianz Case Study

Global Infrastructure & Workplace Organisation Transformation

Integrating local infrastructure and workplace services into a global organisation, establishing clear accountability and creating a roadmap for sustainable cost optimisation.

At a Glance

• 30 countries — Global operational scope

• Approximately 280 FTEs — Organisation-wide workforce integration

• €120 million — Infrastructure budget under scope

• €100 million — Target budget following planned optimisation
  

The Challenge

Allianz Partners’ infrastructure and workplace IT services operated across a complex international environment, with local teams, CIOs, established supplier arrangements, legacy infrastructure and associated budgets.

As Allianz Technology expanded its global service delivery model, these local capabilities needed to be integrated into a newly established organisation.

This was more than a technology transformation. It required a fundamental change in how infrastructure and workplace services were organised, governed and delivered across countries.

The challenge was to establish a cohesive global organisation, bring together people and capabilities, clarify accountability and address operational complexity while maintaining reliable, 24/7 IT services.

At the same time, the organisation needed a credible approach to improving cost efficiency and reducing reliance on external resources.

My Role

As Head of Infrastructure for Allianz Partners at Allianz Technology, I led the organisational transformation of infrastructure and workplace services, bringing local capabilities into a newly established global organisation.

My responsibilities included:

• Organisation design and integration — Bringing regional infrastructure and workplace teams into a unified global structure.

• People and capability alignment — Integrating teams and resources while establishing clearer responsibilities and accountability.

• Operational governance — Developing a more consistent approach to service ownership, operational management and global delivery.

• Resource and supplier optimisation — Identifying opportunities to reduce dependency on external resources and improve the efficiency of the delivery model.

• Financial oversight and cost optimisation — Managing the transformation within an infrastructure budget of approximately €120 million and developing a roadmap targeting €100 million.
  

The focus was to create a sustainable operating model that balanced financial efficiency with reliable service delivery.

The Transformation Approach

1. Establishing a Global Operating Model

Regional infrastructure and workplace capabilities needed to move towards a more consistent global delivery structure.

The transformation focused on integrating these capabilities, clarifying organisational responsibilities and establishing a stronger foundation for global service ownership.

2. Integrating People, Services and Resources

The transition involved more than changing reporting lines. It required the integration of teams, operational responsibilities, supplier arrangements and existing infrastructure capabilities.

The objective was to establish a coherent organisation with clearer accountability and a more consistent approach to delivering infrastructure and workplace services.

3. Improving Operational Efficiency

Existing delivery arrangements and dependencies on external resources were reviewed as part of the wider transformation.

The aim was to simplify the operating model, improve resource utilisation and establish a more sustainable balance between internal capabilities and external service providers.

4. Developing a Cost-Optimisation Roadmap

With an infrastructure budget of approximately €120 million, financial optimisation was a key consideration.

A roadmap was developed to target a reduction to €100 million, representing a potential €20 million reduction, or approximately 16.7% of the original budget.

The target was to pursue this optimisation while maintaining the reliability and quality of infrastructure and workplace services.

Business Impact

The transformation established the foundations for a more integrated global infrastructure and workplace organisation.

Key outcomes included:

• Greater organisational consistency through the integration of local capabilities into a global structure.

• Clearer accountability across infrastructure and workplace service delivery.

• A foundation for resource optimisation through a review of internal capabilities and external dependencies.

• A structured cost-reduction roadmap targeting a reduction in the infrastructure budget from €120 million to €100 million.

• A stronger platform for global service delivery across a complex, multi-country environment.

The €100 million budget represented the optimisation target, rather than a confirmed achieved outcome.

The Outcome

The transformation was fundamentally about creating the organisation needed to deliver infrastructure and workplace services at global scale.

By bringing local capabilities together, strengthening accountability and developing a structured approach to resource and cost optimisation, the work established a foundation for a more consistent and sustainable operating model.

It illustrates the importance of combining organisational leadership, operational governance and financial discipline when transforming enterprise technology services.

Enterprise Transformation Requires More Than Technology

Successful infrastructure transformation depends on aligning people, processes, suppliers and technology around a clear operating model.

At InfraXon, I bring practical experience in leading complex technology organisations, integrating services across international environments and helping businesses improve operational performance.

Facing a similar transformation challenge?

Let’s discuss how experienced technology leadership can help your organisation move forward.