Atos

Development and Innovation Centre based in the town of Forres.

Blue cables at the back of a computer hard drive

Delivering digital services

Atos opened its Moray Development and Innovation Centre in the town of Forres in 2013, and employs over 150 people delivering digital services across the UK and offshore in software development, cyber security, automation and managed IT services.

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with approximately 100,000 employees in 72 countries and annual revenue of around €12 billion. Serving a global client base, the Group is the European leader in big data, cyber security and digital workplace providing cloud services, infrastructure and data management, and business and platform solutions. In the UK and Ireland, around 10,000 employees deliver business technology solutions for some of the country’s largest public and private sector organisations.

The business employs more than 1,500 people at six locations across Scotland, and has been working in the Highland and Islands since 2010. With its cutting edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, Atos supports the digital transformation of its clients across different business sectors: defence, financial services, health, manufacturing, media, utilities, public sector, retail, telecommunications, and transportation. Atos is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and was also the Proud Supporter of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships.

At the setup stage we were also doing a huge amount of recruitment and both HIE and Moray Council were very supportive.

Owen O'Donohue, Moray Development and Innovation Centre

The outside of the Atos building on Enterprise Park Forres

Bespoke premises on Enterprise Park, Forres

Atos moved into the bespoke 20,000 sq ft Venture House on Forres Enterprise Park in Moray in 2013. Atos selected the town of Forres as the location for its Moray Development and Innovation Centre because it believed there was a strong business case supported by the local area’s ambitious economic strategy.

The centre was created to enhance the company’s delivery of its secure IT, cyber security, software development and testing services for both private and public sector clients. Atos has invested significantly in its Moray-based operation with support from HIE and now employs more than 150 people in high-value IT jobs. These include many former personnel from the nearby RAF Kinloss air base who were recruited and retrained by the company.

Owen O’Donohue, Head of Moray Development and Innovation Centre, explained the factors in the decision making process.

“HIE’s role was important as it acted as a conduit providing access to others such as Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Government. HIE has facilitated a great deal on behalf of the business, which is obviously helpful, and also built Venture House for us, working to our high security specification, and that was obviously critical to getting us up and running.

“At the setup stage we were also doing a huge amount of recruitment and both HIE and Moray Council were very supportive. Most of the first tranche of employees came from the RAF, both for the security clearance and for the lifelong learning and wider experience they brought. But when we started looking further afield HIE and the Council were very coordinated in terms of helping to organise access to schools and colleges, and letting more people know about the opportunities on offer here at Atos."

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