DWS boosts TMT practice with Lloyds IT outsourcing mandate

Denton Wilde Sapte (DWS) is looking to bolster its technology media and telecoms (TMT) practice after bagging mandates on three IT deals in three weeks, including its first outsourcing instruction from Lloyds TSB.

The firm is advising Lloyds TSB Corporate on a network link-up agreement with Citigroup called Bluesky. It has also received instructions from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) on a £350m contract for the fire and rescue services and from the Northern Irish Civil Service on a £185m outsourcing contract with Fujitsu for a new online personnel system.

DWS TMT head John Worthy said: "We anticipate strengthening the IT team across Europe, the Middle East and Africa [Emea]. Certainly in the Middle East we'll be looking over the next three years to increase the size by between 50 and 70 per cent."

DWS currently has 22 TMT partners globally.

The Lloyds deal marks new work for the team. Lloyds is a long-term asset financing client of DWS, but had not used the firm in an outsourcing deal before.

Lloyds will take on all of Citigroup's payment and cash management services in the UK, allowing Citigroup's customers to use branches of Lloyds as they would their own bank.

"I'm not aware of anything else like this," said Worthy. "And certainly not in the UK."

Worthy advised on all three deals, assisted by partner Elisabeth Gaunt. Allen & Overy, led by partner Jane Finlayson-Brown, advised Citigroup.

Meanwhile, the ODPM's in-house team advised on the fire and rescue services contract, and Fujitsu was instructed by Northern Irish firm Tughans, led by partner John George Willis.