The WITCH Monthly Monitor
Monthly update on major global IT consulting and services firms in healthcare
A surge in deals from the public sector
Wipro founder, Azim Premji will step down in July as the Executive Chairman, after having led the company for more than five decades. His eldest son, Rishad Premji will take over as the Executive Chairman of the company. Two more board members, Narayanan Vaghul and Ashok Ganguly are set to retire in July this year. Wipro opened two technology centers at Dallas and Minneapolis-St. Paul to accelerate innovation, expand digital capabilities, and also increase their workforce in the regions.
Cognizant continues to see more leadership exits. Kaushik Bhaumik, Executive Vice President and Global Leader of healthcare will be leaving the firm later this month. Kaushik’s role will be replaced by Jeff Heenan-Jalil, former Wipro healthcare Head. Bhaskar Sambasivan, Head of life sciences, resigned from the firm. In May, the company saw exits of several senior level executives, including Debashis Chatterjee, Gajen Kandiah, and Prasad Chintamaneni. Cognizant expands their digital offerings for life sciences manufacturing companies with the acquisition of Ireland based Zenith Technologies.
TCS, in collaboration with SAP, will launch a solution that leverages blockchain and IoT to increase traceablity in medical device supply chain.
In the public sector, Accenture, Deloitte, and IBM have secured deals. Accenture won contracts with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Deloitte will develop healthcare waivers for the state of Georgia; IBM partners with FDA for a blockchain pilot program.
Accenture released the results for the quarter ended May 31, 2019. The health and public sector services segment reported strong growth in North America, primarily driven by client wins from the U.S. federal business.
Highlights for the month
Wipro
Wipro Limited appoints Rishad Premji as Executive Chairman
Wipro announced that Rishad Premji will take over as the Executive Chairman, as Azim Premji will retire as the Executive Chairman and Managing Director on July 30, 2019, after having led the company for 53 years. Azim Premji will continue to serve on the Board as Non-Executive Director and Founder Chairman.
More changes at Wipro after Premji’s adieu as two board members set to retire next month
Narayanan Vaghul, Lead Independent Director and Ashok Ganguly, Chairman of the board’s nomination and remuneration panel will retire in July, both served for more than two decades with the company.
Wipro Launches Pivotal Software Center of Excellence in Dallas, Texas
Wipro, in collaboration with Pivotal Software, launched the Pivotal Center of Excellence at Wipro’s Dallas office to expand digital transformation capabilities offered to joint customers. With the new center, Wipro intends to expand its footprint in Dallas and hire locally in cybersecurity, data analytics, and full-stack development.
Wipro Opens New State-of-the-Art Digital and Technology Center in Minneapolis
Wipro opened a new center of excellence for clients in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region to collaborate on digital solutions, with a focus on financial technology. The center is expected to create 100 new jobs over the next two years in the city.
TCS
TCS partnered with SAP to launch an lntelligent Field lnventory Management (iFIM) solution to help medical device manufacturers streamline surgical kit handling. The iFIM solution leverages SAP Leonardo that utilizes IoT and blockchain to enable traceability so that manufacturers, distributors, and hospitals have visibility of particular orders.
Cognizant
Cognizant reshuffles its top deck, hires former Wipro executive
Cognizant appointed Jeff Heenan-Jalil, former Wipro healthcare head, to lead their healthcare business with effect from July 15. Jalil replaces Kaushik Bhaumik, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Global Leader of healthcare, who will be leaving the firm later this month. EVP Pradeep Shilige will succeed Debashis Chatterjee as the head of global delivery. Dharmendra Kumar Sinha, former EVP and President of global client services is appointed as the Head of North America and replaces Prasad Chintamaneni.
Cognizant to acquire Zenith Technologies, a life sciences manufacturing technology services company headquartered in Cork, Ireland. The acquisition will add more than 800 people to Cognizant’s life sciences business unit and expands capabilities for managing end-to-end operational and information technology systems for connected biopharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers.
Cognizant promotes 70 assistant vice presidents amid exits galore
Cognizant promoted 70 Assistant Vice Presidents to Vice Presidents across their business units and geographies. On the contrary, the company also announced a voluntary separation for 300-400 Senior Executives in May.
Cognizant life sciences head Bhaskar Sambasivan quits
Bhaskar Sambasivan, Cognizant’s Senior Vice-President and Global Head of life sciences resigned after being with the firm for 15 years. Sambasivan will be taking an operating role in a private equity firm. Srinivas Shankar, life sciences head for the eastern region, will serve as the interim global Head of life sciences.
Accenture
Accenture reported revenue of $11.1 billion and growth of 4% YoY in USD for the quarter ended May 31, 2019 driven by growth in digital, cloud, and security-related services. The health and public services segment contributed revenue of $1.82 billion, with a growth of 4% YoY in USD. The segment reported strong growth in North America due to increased traction in the U.S. federal business.
Accenture Federal Services won a five-year, $49 million contract to provide intelligent automation and artificial intelligence (IAAI) services for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Program Support Center (PSC). As a part of the contract, Accenture will provide piloting, testing, and implementation of advanced technologies such as AI, robotic process automation, natural language processing, and machine learning.
Accenture Acquires Deja vu Security, Seattle-Based ‘Security of Things’ Company
Accenture announced the acquisition of Deja vu Security, a Seattle-based company that provides information security research and consulting services. The company works across many industries including healthcare with expertise in the techniques, tools and methods for securing connected devices and IoT networks.
Accenture Federal Unit Wins $79M Navy Medicine Telementoring Support IDIQ
Accenture Federal Services won a potential five-year, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity (IDIQ), $79.1 million contract to help the U.S. Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery to manage a telementoring program and support the Pacific Asynchronous TeleHealth and Health Experts Online Portal platforms. In addition, Accenture will provide program and project management, system administration, data analytics and tele-radiology services as part of the contract.
Providence St. Joseph looks for streamlined administrative services
Providence St. Joseph Health partnered with Accenture, IBM, and Deloitte to streamline their administrative services. Accenture will work on modernizing accounting, accounts payable and procurement; IBM will manage payroll, talent acquisition and human resources; and Deloitte will implement a new cloud-based enterprise resource-planning IT system.
Deloitte
State of Georgia hires Deloitte to develop health-care waivers
Deloitte secured a contract for approximately $1.92 million, with the state of Georgia to develop federal healthcare waivers for Georgia’s Medicaid program and private health insurance market. With the waivers, the state expects to improve access to quality healthcare while protecting people with pre-existing conditions and lower costs.
Deloitte Global CEO Punit Renjen elected to second term
Deloitte appointed Punit Renjen to a second, four-year term as Deloitte Global CEO, effective June 3, 2019. Renjen, who has worked at Deloitte for the past 32 years, was elected the Global CEO in February 2015. Deloitte also appointed Sharon Thorne as chair of the Deloitte Global Board of Directors, who is currently deputy CEO and managing partner of global and strategy for Deloitte North West Europe.
DXC Technology
DXC Technology received all essential regulatory approvals to complete its acquisition of Luxoft Holding, Inc., a global digital strategy and engineering firm. In January 2019, DXC announced the acquisition of Luxoft for $2 billion.
IBM
IBM, Walmart Collaborate for FDA Blockchain Pilot Program
IBM, Walmart, KPMG, and Merck will collaborate as part of FDA’s pilot program, authorized under the U.S. Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) to develop blockchain network to identify, track, and trace the distribution of prescription drugs. The blockchain network aims to address the challenges in the current drug supply chain process, including the time taken, the accuracy of data shared, and integrity of products in the distribution chain.
Biden Cancer Initiative pairs up with IBM, Syapse to improve access to clinical trial information
The Biden Cancer Initiative partnered with multiple healthcare organizations including IBM Watson Health, BreastCancerTrials.org, Massive Bio, and Syapse to develop a shared platform – Oncology Clinical Trial Information Commons – that helps cancer patients to know their clinical trial options.
IBM to pay $14.8 million to settle False Claims Act allegations
IBM and its subsidiary, Curam Software agreed to a $14.8 million settlement over allegations for misrepresenting product capabilities with the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange in 2011 and 2012.
IBM is laying off more than 1,000 employees
IBM confirmed job cuts, that would affect around 1,700 employees, to streamline their business and reposition to focus on high-value segments of the IT market, as part of the Red Hat acquisition.
