Tech & Ops / Technology

Technology

BCG Expand benchmarks IT spend, application estate, cloud adoption and AI readiness, to guide modernisation, vendor rationalisation, and tech-enabled efficiency.

Explore our solutions

The Opportunity

  • ✔Optimise technology spend to unlock greater CTB capacity
  • ✔Modernise the application and infrastructure landscape to scale cloud adoption and reduce legacy drag
  • ✔Streamline spans and layers to improve agility, accountability, and decision-making speed

How we can help

Cost Mix Benchmarking

We perform full cost analysis by cost type and driver across infrastructure vs. development, run/change, vendor software, application hosting, and end user technology to assess total cost-of-ownership at a product or function level.

Application & DevOps Productivity

We assess application landscape, incidents and MTTR, deployment frequency, and change failure rate to improve delivery effectiveness and operational performance.

Infrastructure

Analysis of cost per unit across servers, storage, and end-user technology, plus assessment of server distribution and utilisation. Estate-rationalisation insights inform cloud adoption decisions and vendor optimisation to reduce infrastructure expenditure by 15–25%.

Client success stories

$1bn+ cost efficiencies identified through optimisation of Change-the-Bank versus Run-the-Bank spend
15–25% Infrastructure cost optimisation achieved through estate simplification and vendor consolidation.
10–20% faster delivery cycles driven by automation and cloud adoption.
EUR 1.4B IT overspend uncovered across all lines of business relative to peers, revealing significant optimization potential

Case Studies

APAC Bank

Enhanced application landscape assessment across Commercial Banking with benchmarking that identified significant estate complexity, duplication and high application age

Canadian Bank

Increased in-source capability following benchmarking of resourcing strategy and workforce composition across Commercial Banking.

Tier 1 European Universal Bank

Identified a 43% IT overspend and revealed excessive investment in legacy applications and vendor-dependent systems, enabling the bank to redesign sourcing, streamline its application estate, and align spend with industry benchmarks across Corporate Banking.

The Opportunity

  • ✔Optimise resourcing models to improve cost efficiency and accelerate technology delivery
  • ✔Refine contractor mix and location strategy to enhance agility and workforce flexibility
  • ✔Streamline spans and layers to strengthen accountability and increase decision-making speed

How we can help

Workforce Benchmarking

We optimise team structure for both cost and performance by benchmarking location strategy, contract type, cost per head, compensation/non-comp, role analysis, and seniority

Client success stories

150+ roles transitioned in-house to strengthen internal capability, reduce dependency on external contracts and build sustainable long-term delivery capacity
3 delivery hubs prioritised to optimise location strategy, enhance scalability, and improve cost per head efficiency
25% FTE rebalanced toward offshore and nearshore hubs to optimise global delivery footprint and strengthen structural cost efficiency Changes:

Case Studies

Global Markets Institution

Redesigned spans and layers to improve accountability and operational responsiveness.

Regional Investment Bank:

Slowed planned FTE-reduction initiatives after benchmarking showed the firm was already operating below peer efficiency levels, implementing targeted process improvements

Universal Bank – Global Markets Division

Consolidated management layers and increased span of control across Global Markets following peer benchmarking, enhancing decision velocity and reducing structural overhead

European Bank

250 positions transitioned offshore after diagnostics highlighted imbalance in higher-than-peer onshore concentration

American Bank

Optimised contractor and internal HC mix across Wealth Management following benchmarking of labour intensity

Exhibits

Banking on IT Outsourcing: Finding the Sweet Spot

Finding the right balance between in-house IT and outsourcing is key. Learn how financial institions can optimize costs, efficiency and risk

Read report here

Tech in Banking 2025: Transformation Starts with Smarter Tech Investment

Banks are investing more in tech than ever. With smarter spending and simplification, they can unlock innovation, resilience, and lasting competitive edge

Read report here

"Of all my projects, the CIO Dashboard gives me the best ROI.”

CIO Large North American Bank

"BCG Expand’s benchmarking gave us a clear view of where to invest and modernise. The data and insights delivered real, quantifiable impact.”

Head of Technology Transformation Global Investment Bank

Contact Us

Product - Contact Us
Reset

How can we assist you today?

Learn more about our core areas of expertise by selecting your topic of interest.

Back to Top