- Client: Generali UK Branch (Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A.)
- Sector: Financial Services (Corporate Insurance & Asset Management)
- Delivery Scope: Azure Cloud Migration, Modern Workplace Deployment, Data Platform Modernisation, Modern Managed Services, Evergreen Digital Operating Model
- Key Partners: Microsoft (Azure, Modern Workplace 365)
- Relationship: 2020 – Active Managed Service
Project Impact at a Glance
100%
On-premises server decommission to enable geographically dispersed teams to operate effectively
Azure
Specialist financial cloud infrastructure optimised for operational resilience
Evergreen
Future-ready Digital Operating Model for continuous data management improvement and innovation readiness
2020
Business protected during critical trading year with ongoing collaboration benefits
The Challenge: Overcoming an Outdated, High-Risk On-Premises Footprint
Generali’s UK corporate operations were constrained by legacy on-premises servers, outdated desktop hardware, and insufficient disaster recovery environments. The business lacked the agility required for modern international corporate ways of working and faced serious disruption risk.
- Critical Operational Vulnerability: Infrastructure was nearing end-of-life hardware failure, threatening trading operations.
- Rigid Working Models: On-premises systems prevented staff from working securely outside the London offices.
- Financial Services Compliance: Any cloud transition had to satisfy strict UK and European insurance industry data governance guidelines.
The Solution: Full Cloud Migration & Evergreen Managed Service Model
Sword developed an urgent digital transformation plan, migrated all on-premises servers and data platforms into Microsoft Azure, deployed Microsoft 365 Modern Workplace, and assumed 24/7 managed services support.
Azure Infrastructure Migration
Migrated line-of-business applications and insurance databases from local hardware into a hardened Microsoft Azure environment.
Modern Workplace & Collaboration
Deployed Microsoft 365, streamlined Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), and established identity-driven access for distributed teams.
Modern Managed Services
Transitioned operational support into Sword’s managed service, providing continuous patch governance, data monitoring, and roadmapping for future analytics and AI-driven capabilities.
Measurable Business Outcomes
Commercial / Efficiency Gain
Replaced recurring capital hardware replacement costs with a predictable operating expenditure model backed by strict SLAs
Operational Resilience / Risk Mitigation
Decommissioned fragile legacy hardware, preventing system failure and preserving live underwriting.
Speed, Agility & User Experience
Transformed workforce mobility via Microsoft 365 and cloud VDI, enabling insurance specialists to collaborate securely from anywhere.
Future-Proof Scalability & Independence
Modernised cloud data platform provides the performance and governance needed to adopt AI underwriting tools.
"Generali were 'sitting on a time bomb' with the dated infrastructure, desktop, and contingency services we had. The strategy Sword presented, followed by the implementation of the upgrade plan, enabled Generali to continue to trade."
More Information
Architecture was deployed using Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework policies aligned to FCA and PRA guidelines for data encryption, key management, and geographic residency
An operating model that is designed to support evolving growth in line with business objectives, combined with an ongoing managed service to ensure data processes support agility and resilience. This includes monitoring, testing, and deploying continuous cloud feature releases and security patches, preventing IT debt from accumulating.
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