Rapid growth created a disparate collection of siloed, on-premises systems across regions that needed unification. Different markets ran different tools. Data couldn't flow across borders. Acquisitions brought new systems that took months to integrate.

Simon Springett, CTO of Cushman & Wakefield, saw the urgency. Fragmented systems across regions created friction for employees and IT teams alike. To achieve the cost management and scalability the business needed, cloud migration was essential.

The transformation started with the infrastructure itself. Cushman & Wakefield's rapid expansion had left them with scattered on-premises data centers across regions, each requiring maintenance, each adding cost, each creating another point of potential failure. Moving to the cloud would create a foundation that could support their scale.

Migrating four data centers to Microsoft Azure reduced infrastructure spend while maximizing flexibility and security. Network services now connect 400+ locations through modernized SD-WAN infrastructure. Approximately 2,000 servers across two virtual global data centers support operations spanning continents. Automated services handle routine tasks, deployments, decommissions, health checks, migrations, that previously consumed valuable IT resources.

The results were significant. “Through the cloud system and through removing legacy services we are now achieving 99.99% availability," Springett confirms. "Globally, we've seen major incidents drop by 73% year on year."

The move to unified cloud infrastructure made comprehensive security possible. When systems were scattered across on-premises data centers in different regions, protecting more than 52,000 employees across nearly 60 countries meant managing security in silos. Cloud consolidation brought visibility and control across the entire footprint.

A 24/7 security operations center now monitors threats continuously. Managed security services reduced open vulnerabilities by 90%. A major infrastructure cleanup eliminated 100,000+ unused IPs, databases, servers, storage volumes and Microsoft Azure services—tightening security while controlling costs.

The security transformation strengthened threat management, drove down vulnerabilities, and improved the company's NIST scoring—directly helping with cyber insurance costs.

With cloud infrastructure unified and security strengthened, Cushman & Wakefield focused next on its service desk experience, standardizing processes across countries, ensuring consistent response times, and establishing a common platform so colleagues everywhere received the same level of support.

Cushman & Wakefield deployed Unisys Next-Generation Service Desk, which provides employees with AI-powered support 24/7/365 and offers real-time translation to minimize language barriers. ServiceNow-based Unisys Enterprise Service Management coordinates help desk experiences across IT, HR and finance, with 150+ automated workflows that give colleagues the right service faster. Field services teams provide on-site support across regions when remote resolution isn't possible.

The shift to digital channels accelerated adoption. Employees use chat twice as much as voice calls, giving them faster, more convenient access to support. AI-driven resolution improved by 13% while colleague adoption increased by 36%. Eliminating email as a support channel cut mean time to resolution by 40%.

Behind the scenes, Unisys Experience-as-a Service with Nexthink analytics proactively keeps endpoints healthy and users productive, delivering more than 72,000 automated remediations in 2025 to help ensure a seamless digital experience. Zero-touch PC deployments deliver new laptops and upgrade existing ones with minimal labor, associates unbox devices already configured and ready to work.

The transformation delivered measurable impact where it mattered most: the bottom line and the employee experience.

"Over the first five years of our partnership, our goal was to save $35 million," Springett says. "We've not only achieved that, we exceeded it by a significant margin."

Colleagues rate their support experience positively, with resolution times significantly lower and operational capability significantly higher. Associates onboard with white-glove service and are productive from day one.

The foundation is built. Now Cushman & Wakefield and Unisys focus on what comes next. That means expanding AI capabilities beyond support to enterprise-wide knowledge assistance, deploying virtual tech cafés for personalized remote support, and implementing AIOps infrastructure that anticipates needs before they become issues.

The partnership goes beyond day-to-day operations. A strategic project management office gives Cushman & Wakefield on-demand access to 100+ Unisys experts delivering 75,000 hours of specialized support annually—from mergers and acquisitions integrations to strategic road mapping.

"So for us, with Better never settles as our ethos, that's how we live our lives. That's our heartbeat," Springett reflects. "And it's something that we drive very much with our partnerships."

With a unified cloud infrastructure, comprehensive security, and a service desk that scales globally, Cushman & Wakefield has the technology platform their business ambition demands. IT now enables the same continuous improvement and innovation that Cushman & Wakefield delivers to clients every day.

Better never settles. With the right partner, it doesn't have to.