TCS renews technology partnership with Marks & Spencer

TCS has renewed its multi-year strategic technology partnership with Marks & Spencer, extending a relationship of more than a decade.

Under the new agreement, TCS will remain the retailer’s strategic technology partner as Marks & Spencer continues a broader technology transformation across the business.

The work will include simplifying and streamlining technology foundations, modernising legacy platforms, and using artificial intelligence as part of the transformation programme. Marks & Spencer is aiming to become a more omnichannel, data-led retailer, with technology playing a bigger role across operations and customer-facing services.

The renewal highlights the extent to which large retailers still depend on external support as they update core systems while keeping trading operations stable. For Marks & Spencer, the programme forms part of a wider effort to improve how digital systems support growth.

Sacha Berendji, operations director at Marks and Spencer, outlined the retailer’s view of the project.

“Technology transformation is a key strategic priority for M&S as we invest for growth. Having the right suite of partners, with access to the latest developments in AI and digital expertise is imperative. I am pleased that we are extending our partnership with TCS, who will work alongside our in-house team as we accelerate our digital transformation,” he said.

The partnership spans the business rather than a single function, suggesting the work will affect multiple systems and teams. Artificial intelligence will form part of the approach, alongside TCS’s retail sector experience and knowledge of the Marks & Spencer business built up over the course of the relationship.

For retailers with large store estates and established legacy technology, modernisation programmes often involve replacing or adapting older systems while integrating digital tools across online and physical channels. The focus on technology foundations suggests much of the work will centre on back-end systems that support day-to-day operations.

Marks & Spencer has been reshaping parts of its business in recent years in response to changing consumer behaviour and the demands of selling across stores and online. Technology partners have become increasingly important in that process, particularly where internal teams work alongside external specialists.

Krishnan Ramanujam, president of TCS’s consumer business group, said: “M&S is a highly cherished and iconic British brand that has always been at the forefront of retail innovation. We are proud of our long-standing partnership and delighted to be chosen to support its enterprise transformation. Our strong contextual knowledge of M&S’s business helped lead the digital wave for M&S. As M&S now accelerates its technology transformation, we look forward to bringing our enterprise-scale AI capabilities, deep retail expertise and engineering leadership to create sustained value, business agility and a future-ready retail enterprise.”