TIAA announces strategic partnership with Accenture to accelerate transformation of its retirement recordkeeping

Rhea-AI Summary

TIAA, the largest U.S. provider of lifetime income, has announced a strategic partnership with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) to transform its retirement recordkeeping capabilities. Starting in 2025, Accenture will support parts of TIAA's recordkeeping operations, enhancing efficiency through automation and improved processes. The partnership aims to develop new digital capabilities and AI-enabled tools for plan sponsors, consultants, and individual participants.

Key aspects of the partnership include:

• Enhanced digital experiences and expanded reporting capabilities for plan sponsors and consultants
• Improved retirement planning solutions and education for plan participants
• Transfer of approximately 1,500 TIAA associates to Accenture
• Continued focus on TIAA's mission to provide secure retirements

Positive

• Strategic partnership with Accenture to enhance retirement recordkeeping capabilities
• Development of new digital capabilities and AI-enabled tools for improved client services
• Potential for increased operational efficiency through automation and enhanced processes
• Expanded reporting capabilities and data insights for plan consultants

Negative

• Transfer of approximately 1,500 TIAA employees to Accenture, potentially impacting organizational structure

Insights

Financial Analyst

This strategic partnership between TIAA and Accenture is a significant move in the retirement services industry. By leveraging Accenture's technological expertise, TIAA aims to enhance its recordkeeping capabilities, potentially leading to improved operational efficiency and cost savings in the long term. While the financial terms aren't disclosed, such partnerships often involve substantial investments, which could impact TIAA's short-term financials but potentially yield long-term benefits in terms of market competitiveness and client satisfaction.

The transfer of 1,500 employees to Accenture suggests a substantial operational shift, which could streamline TIAA's workforce and potentially reduce overhead costs. However, investors should monitor how this transition affects TIAA's service quality and client retention rates in the coming years.

Tech Expert

TIAA's partnership with Accenture marks a significant technological leap in the retirement services sector. The focus on AI, cloud and digital ecosystems indicates a move towards cutting-edge technology adoption. This could lead to enhanced data analytics capabilities, improved customer experiences and more efficient operations. The planned improvements in digital features, from enrollment to retirement planning, suggest a comprehensive digital transformation that could set new industry standards.

However, the success of this transformation will depend on the seamless integration of Accenture's technologies with TIAA's existing systems. Investors should watch for updates on the implementation timeline and any potential disruptions during the transition period starting in 2025.

Market Research Analyst

This partnership positions TIAA to address the growing retirement crisis in the U.S., with over 40% of American households at risk of insufficient retirement funds. By enhancing its digital capabilities and service offerings, TIAA could potentially increase its market share and attract more clients concerned about retirement security. The focus on innovative retirement education and advice planning solutions aligns with the increasing demand for personalized financial guidance.

However, the success of this strategy depends on how well TIAA can differentiate its enhanced services in a competitive market. Investors should monitor client acquisition rates and assets under management post-implementation to gauge the partnership's effectiveness in driving business growth.

Strategic partnership builds on TIAA's extensive retirement experience while leveraging Accenture's technologies so plans are easier to administer and more engaging for employees

TIAA and Accenture will build enhanced experiences for plan participants with elevated digital capabilities across enrollment, money management features, and innovative retirement education and advice planning solutions

Plan sponsors and consultants will work with their existing TIAA relationship management and consultant relations teams, which will have new tools to deliver enhanced services

TIAA remains focused on its mission to provide a more secure retirement for more Americans, continuing its leadership and innovation in guaranteed lifetime income for 106 years and counting

NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024  /PRNewswire/ -- TIAA, the largest U.S. provider of lifetime income, today announced a strategic partnership with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) to accelerate the transformation of TIAA's retirement recordkeeping capabilities and operations. The agreement capitalizes on the strengths of both organizations to provide next-generation technologies and enhanced recordkeeping to TIAA's plan sponsor clients and their employees, and plan consultants.

Beginning in 2025, Accenture – a leading professional services company that helps businesses reinvent themselves using technology, data, and artificial intelligence (AI) – will support parts of TIAA's recordkeeping operations, making them more efficient through automation and enhanced processes over time. TIAA will retain full responsibility for retirement plans and recordkeeping services, as well as hosting and safeguarding plan data on its platforms. TIAA also will continue to be responsible for all aspects of relationships with plan sponsors, their employees, and plan consultants.

"With more than 40% of American households at risk of running short of money in retirement, the U.S. faces a real retirement crisis," said Kourtney Gibson, Chief Institutional Client Officer at TIAA. "Joining forces with Accenture and leveraging their capabilities at scale better positions us to strengthen how we operate, enhance our clients' experience and deliver on our mission of securing retirements."

New capabilities for plan sponsors and consultants

Plan sponsors and consultants will continue to work with their existing TIAA relationship management and consultant relations teams. Over time, the partnership will result in new digital capabilities and AI-enabled tools for TIAA relationship managers, enabling them to provide enhanced service for plan sponsors. Plan consultants will see improvements that include an elevated digital experience and expanded reporting capabilities with access to data and insights that can be used across their practice.

Positioning participants for a more secure financial future

The strategic partnership will develop capabilities that will help individual plan participants create a more secure financial future through new digital features – from the moment they enroll, to managing their retirement plans, to when they're ready to retire, and into retirement. Planned enhancements include access to innovative retirement planning solutions featuring simple ways to track progress toward their retirement readiness.

Over time, they will also see enhanced education and advice offerings on a wide range of financial topics that can better prepare them to meet their retirement goals consistently throughout their careers and life stages.

"The power of AI, cloud and digital ecosystems opens a new world of opportunities in the way we serve our clients," said Sastry Durvasula, Chief Information and Client Services Officer at TIAA. "Now is the perfect time to partner with Accenture to reimagine our recordkeeping capabilities and revolutionize the retirement industry."

Providing continuity for clients

Approximately 1,500 TIAA full-time associates in the U.S. and India will be offered positions at Accenture, reflecting the important role they will play in providing continuity and institutional knowledge for clients. These associates primarily support TIAA's back-end recordkeeping operations. They will continue to perform similar client-support roles as they do now, but with automated tools and enhanced processes. This will integrate Accenture into TIAA's recordkeeping operations in a way that is seamless to its institutional clients.

"TIAA's highly skilled professionals play a critical role in supporting those who depend on the company for their retirement security, and we're thrilled to welcome them to the Accenture team," said Manish Sharma, CEO of Accenture North America. "Our new colleagues will have access to Accenture's technology, data, and AI capabilities and the resources to build skills for the future and deliver even greater business value to clients."

Jack Azagury, group chief executive, Consulting, Accenture, said: "These advances, combined with our innovation-focused partnership and shared values, will accelerate TIAA's ability to provide next-generation capabilities to clients."

Today's announcement builds upon an existing relationship, with TIAA and Accenture having successfully partnered on TIAA infrastructure, business process, and technology projects. Terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.

About TIAA

TIAA is a leading provider of secure retirements and outcome-focused investment solutions to millions of people and thousands of institutionsⁱ. It is the #1 not-for-profit retirement market provider, paid more than $5.6 billion in lifetime income to retired clients in 2022ⁱⁱ and has $1.3 trillion in assets under management (as of 6/30/2024).ⁱⁱⁱ

Learn more about TIAA  
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Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "should," "likely," "anticipates," "aspires," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "positioned," "outlook," "goal," "target" and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation, that the partnership might not achieve its anticipated benefits, as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the "Risk Factors" heading in Accenture plc's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture's expectations.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world's leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 750,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world's leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Any guarantees under annuities issued by TIAA are subject to TIAA's claims-paying ability. TIAA may establish additional amounts of interest and income benefits above contractually guaranteed levels. Additional amounts are not guaranteed beyond the period for which they are declared.

This material is for informational or educational purposes only and does not constitute fiduciary investment advice under ERISA, a securities recommendation under all securities laws, or an insurance product recommendation under state insurance laws or regulations. This material does not take into account any specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor, or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on the investor's own objectives and circumstances.

Investment, insurance and annuity products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, are not deposits, are not insured by any federal government agency, are not a condition to any banking service or activity, and may lose value.

ⁱ As of July 21, 2022. Based on data in PLANSPONSOR's 403(b) 2022 DC Recordkeeping Survey, combined 457 and 403(b) data.

ⁱⁱ As of December 31, 2022. Other benefits from TIAA include: surrender benefits and other withdrawals, death benefits, health insurance and disability insurance benefits, and all other policy proceeds paid.

ⁱⁱⁱ As of June 30, 2024, assets under management (AUM) across Nuveen Investments affiliates and TIAA investment management teams were $1,349 billion.

©2024 Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund.

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SOURCE TIAA

FAQ

When will Accenture (ACN) begin supporting TIAA's recordkeeping operations?

Accenture (ACN) will begin supporting parts of TIAA's recordkeeping operations starting in 2025.

How many TIAA employees will be offered positions at Accenture (ACN) as part of this partnership?

Approximately 1,500 TIAA full-time associates in the U.S. and India will be offered positions at Accenture (ACN).

What new capabilities will TIAA and Accenture (ACN) develop for plan participants?

The partnership will develop new digital features for plan participants, including innovative retirement planning solutions, enhanced education and advice offerings, and improved tools for tracking retirement readiness.

How will the TIAA-Accenture (ACN) partnership affect plan sponsors and consultants?

Plan sponsors and consultants will continue to work with their existing TIAA teams but will benefit from new digital capabilities, AI-enabled tools, and expanded reporting capabilities with access to more data and insights.