PPC – Microsoft strategic partnership

PPC and Microsoft have entered into an important strategic partnership that will promote the digital transformation of PPC and will contribute to the achievement of its business and environmental goals. The new partnership framework will help PPC harness the potential of cloud technologies, enhance the security of digital processes and digitize its work environment, offering new opportunities to its employees including training in digital skills development.

In addition, the cooperation will create new opportunities for the green transition of the Company and in particular for the reduction of the carbon footprint, but also opportunities for synergies between the business ecosystems of PPC and Microsoft, with the aim of developing innovations that will have a positive impact throughout energy value chain in Greece.

The new strategic cooperation agreement was signed by Mr. George Stassis, President and CEO of PPC and Mr. Theodosis Michalopoulos, CEO of Microsoft Greece Cyprus and Malta, in the presence of Mr. Jean Philippe Courtois, EVP & President, Microsoft National Transformation Partnerships Corp. and Mr. Alexandrou Paterakis, Deputy Managing Director of PPC.

Mr. Stassis stated: “Digital transformation is one of the biggest challenges but also the big wager of the PPC in the new era. The digital transition is linked to the production, transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as to faster customer service, the provision of new services and new products. A first big step was taken during the critical period of the pandemic. We were able to successfully respond to the increase in the volume of requests that until then had as their main point of reference the PPC stores, implementing online service solutions and strengthening the service channels to a significant degree. The use of digital technologies, the upgrade of the network and the creation of new digital communication channels, in order to take advantage of new possibilities and to meet new needs, such as decentralized production and the electrification of transport are the cutting-edge technologies in which PPC invests for improving its services, but also reducing its footprint in the environment. The digitization and introduction of smart meters will be the basis for the installation of a smart grid, with remote control systems of the network, demand and production (GIS, Scada). At the same time, PPC is going to utilize the dynamics and tools of the new phase of automation that implies the development of science and technology, thus becoming Industry 4.0 “.

Mr. Michalopoulos said: “A year after the announcement of our initiative, GR for Growth, we are particularly pleased to see our strategic partnerships, with companies operating as key pillars of the Greek economy, expanding and entering new digital avenues, positively affecting the growth of the country as a whole. Our cooperation with the PPC will create benefits for the company itself, its people, customers and partners and will help reduce the carbon footprint in the environment. I want to emphasize the importance of the Center of Excellence, which will allow the PPC to make the most of the multiple benefits that Cloud technologies create in the field of energy.”

Mr Courtois said: “Our co-operation with PPC conveys the message that synergies open up the prospects for continuous technological transformation that ultimately strengthens not only the parties directly involved, but entire business ecosystems and sectors of the economy. The collaboration between PPC and Microsoft sets a new benchmark for the energy industry, as it is based on innovation, sustainability and a new business and operational model that benefits both PPC customers and its people. “I look forward to seeing more progress on all fronts in the future, as PPC is increasingly leveraging the capabilities of Microsoft’s Cloud infrastructure.”

The collaboration

The cooperation of the two companies includes:

– The development of a Center of Excellence for the Cloud (Cloud Center of Excellence – CCoE) which will accelerate the transition of PPC to the Cloud, through the adoption of best governance models, good practices and management tools.
The Center will focus on three areas: Azure Infrastructure, Azure Data and Artificial Intelligence, and Security. and will utilize educational programs and tools such as the “Enterprise Skilling Initiative (ESI)” and the “AI Business School” of Microsoft.

– The strengthening of Cybersecurity capabilities, which is crucial for the resilience, public image, value and regulatory compliance of PPC and can enhance the confidence of employees, partners and shareholders in the Company.

– The digitization of PPC’s work environment through an internal transformation that focuses on employees, internal processes and the provision of modern tools in order to create a collaborative workplace that simplifies the daily work, increases efficiency, enhances cooperation and promotes innovation.

– Sustainability and innovation where the cooperation between PPC and Microsoft concerns the acceleration of the PPC de-lignification program, through the integration of clean energy resources in the Company’s distribution system, as well as the recording and management of the carbon footprint with the help of Microsoft technologies .

The cooperation of the two parties in the fields of sustainability and innovation will also include workshops for the development of ideas and business scenarios and initiatives in the fields of smart buildings and interconnected housing, in the tools of forecasting energy consumption, etc.

Finally, the two parties pledged to mobilize the ecosystems of their partners (startups, institutional productive and research partners) in order to create new additional partnerships that will accelerate the digital transition of the energy sector in Greece and enhance innovation in the wider ecosystem.