Broadcom: Supporting Standard Chartered Cloud Modernisation

Responding to the growing need to modernise critical financial infrastructure, technology leader Broadcom has entered a long-term agreement with international banking group Standard Chartered to establish a “secure, resilient private cloud foundation”.

Designed to support Standard Chartered’s core banking operations across 54 markets, the partnership centres on VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) – Broadcom’s private cloud platform – which will be used to standardise the bank’s technology environment.

Following Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware in 2023, VCF has become a cornerstone of its enterprise private cloud offering.

The agreement is expected to enhance resilience, bolster security and streamline operations, while also enabling the bank to navigate increasingly complex regulatory demands.

Secure private cloud infrastructure

Standard Chartered has shifted its infrastructure delivery to a fully integrated, software-defined private cloud powered by VMware Cloud Foundation.

Zero Trust security is embedded directly into the platform’s infrastructure layer, ensuring that no entity is trusted by default and all access is continuously verified.

This built-in capability reflects a secure-by-design approach that values resilience, while maintaining uninterrupted availability for mission-critical banking services.

At the same time, infrastructure deployment timelines have been dramatically reduced – from several weeks to as little as a single day.

Approximately 70% of Standard Chartered’s global infrastructure footprint now runs on the new architecture, representing a significant milestone in its wider transformation journey.

“Standardising a fully virtualised software-defined infrastructure across our global operations enables Standard Chartered to meet the evolving demands of our clients while strengthening our technological core with the responsiveness, resilience and regulatory compliance that global banking demands,” says John Sharratt, Global Head of Technology and Infrastructure at Standard Chartered.

“Our client-centric, long-term investments with global service providers, such as Broadcom, strengthen our ability to deliver always-on banking services in an ever changing and dynamic landscape, while accelerating innovation with a secure private cloud foundation.”

Secure, trusted and AI-driven

Security and regulatory compliance remain central to the initiative, as financial institutions contend with escalating cyber threats alongside increasingly demanding regulatory expectations.

The upgraded platform supports key workloads including core banking systems, payments infrastructure and digital banking services, forming a more resilient foundation for future growth.

According to Broadcom, the collaboration reflects rising demand among global financial institutions for private cloud environments that integrate security, consistency and automation.

“Global financial institutions require infrastructure that combines resilience, security and operational simplicity at scale,” says Krish Prashad, Senior Vice President and General Manager at VMware Cloud Foundation Division, Broadcom. 

“Standard Chartered is at the forefront of digital banking innovation, and we are proud to support their journey toward a highly automated, AI-driven, modern private cloud with VMware Cloud Foundation.”

As banks continue to prioritise AI, automation and cloud adoption, secure private cloud environments are becoming a key pillar of digital transformation strategies.

By modernising the infrastructure underpinning its core banking, payments and digital services, Standard Chartered is building a future-ready platform designed to enable long-term innovation, strengthen operational resilience and support sustainable growth, while continuing to deliver secure services to customers worldwide.