de Novo wins Cardiff council systems overhaul deal

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

de Novo Solutions has won a contract with Cardiff Council to replace the local authority’s core back-office systems. The programme will also include a STEM education partnership for young people across the city.

The Welsh technology company will move Cardiff Council’s HR, payroll, procurement and finance functions from legacy systems to an Oracle Cloud platform. The project covers services that support 15,000 employees and more than 700 frontline services.

Cardiff Council wants to modernise and integrate internal services, improve its digital systems and make greater use of data. The new platform is also intended to give staff and managers self-service access to HR, payroll and finance processes.

The delivery model brings together de Novo, Cardiff Council, Oracle and Civiteq. The programme will run through phased design, build, testing, migration, cutover and support work to manage the transition to the new system.

de Novo will use its Odyssea implementation method and its OLGA local government template, based on earlier work with Kent and Swansea councils. OLGA is a set of pre-configured Oracle processes developed from previous local authority projects.

Systems overhaul

The contract gives de Novo a role in one of the largest council technology modernisation projects in Wales. Cardiff is the country’s largest local authority, and the systems being replaced support a broad range of public services.

For councils, replacing long-standing finance, HR and procurement software has become a central part of wider efforts to simplify administration and improve access to internal data. These programmes are often intended to reduce manual work and give staff more consistent tools across departments.

Helen Crisostomo, Vice President of Business Development at de Novo Solutions, said: “As a Welsh company headquartered in the Cardiff Capital Region, we are incredibly proud to be supporting Wales’ largest local authority on a programme that will modernise the systems behind vital public services and create lasting social value for young people across Cardiff. With our experience of supporting digital transformation within UK councils, we are confident our work will add enormous value and provide all of the benefits Cardiff is seeking by replacing legacy systems with Oracle Cloud applications via our Odyssea blueprint. At de Novo, we are proud to support young people through our Graduate and Apprenticeship and Next Gen programmes, and working with TeenTech over the coming years will enable us to enhance our impact and directly benefit young people who experience barriers in accessing STEM learning.”

STEM element

Alongside the technology project, de Novo and Oracle will work with TeenTech on STEM learning during the council contract. The plan includes five Youth STEM Innovation Events and year-round engagement for up to 2,500 children aged eight to 18.

According to the companies involved, the initiative will prioritise disadvantaged learners and support teachers. It is also intended to contribute to Cardiff’s goals on digital inclusion, skills development, community wellbeing and economic growth.

The social value element reflects the growing use of public sector procurement to secure wider community outcomes alongside core services. Local authorities have increasingly looked for suppliers to show how major contracts can support education, training and access to careers.

Councillor Leonora Thomson, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation & Performance at Cardiff Council, said: “This is an important investment in the systems that support the day-to-day running of the council and the delivery of services across Cardiff. As the largest local authority in Wales, it is vital that the technology behind our organisation is efficient, resilient and fit for the future. Replacing current systems with a modern, integrated platform will help us simplify processes, make better use of data and give employees and managers more intuitive tools to access the information and services they need. I also welcome the wider social value being delivered through this partnership, particularly the opportunity to support STEM learning and help inspire young people across Cardiff to explore future careers in digital and technology.”

Growth profile

Founded in 2021, de Novo has built its business around Oracle Cloud and ServiceNow-related services. Its offerings include Odyssea, a managed services product called Value as a Service, and a software testing service called Testing as a Service.

The company has also raised its profile through growth rankings and business awards. It was listed in the Sunday Times 100 Fastest Growing UK Companies in 2025 and 2026, named a Deloitte Technology Fast Growth regional winner, and received the business category award at the 2026 St David Awards.

The Cardiff contract adds another local government customer to de Novo’s portfolio after work with Kent and Swansea councils, extending its presence in UK public sector technology projects.