ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Keita Ishii, President & COO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it has reached an agreement with Boston Consulting Group (Reiko Akiike and Yukimasa Uchida, co-chairperson in Japan; hereinafter "BCG") on the establishment of a joint venture that specializes in a DX consulting business to help clients solve issues and reform businesses by utilizing IT and digital technologies. As soon as the joint venture has received final approval from the relevant authorities, the plan is to have it established.

In recent years, companies have been promoting the use of IT and digital technologies not only in their IT divisions but also on the front lines of their businesses ( in their LOB divisions*¹), at their customer contact points, with a view toward establishing and strengthening competitive advantages in businesses. In addition to conventional system development focused on meeting client requests, companies are expected to flexibly propose a broad range of solutions including the provision of consulting and data analysis services from the customer's perspective to address issues they are facing on their front lines.

ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) and BELLSYSTEM24, Inc. play leading roles in ITOCHU's digital business group to fulfill functions that are necessary for the use of IT and digital technology. Through this group, ITOCHU has been working to provide optimal services tailored to customers' requests. ITOCHU and BCG have decided to establish a joint venture to strengthen their consulting functions with an eye toward meeting the needs of customers.

Based in more than 100 cities in 50 countries and regions around the world, BCG is a management consulting firm with approximately 30,000 staff members. In 1966, BCG opened an office in Tokyo, its second base after Boston. It is now known as the longest-standing foreign-affiliated consulting firm in Japan. On top of its many years of experience in Japan, it has been accumulating leading-edge knowledge globally in a rage of areas including in the fields of digital technology and IT, while also emphasizing its tailor-made solutions to issues from the customers’ viewpoints.

The joint venture will provide DX consulting services by integrating the consulting experience and knowledge of BCG which is among the best in the world, ITOCHU’s business expertise and the functions of the digital business group. Specifically, in addition to handling corporate issues and solutions, it will conduct a highly-effective consulting business by proposing solutions including solutions related to optimal collaborations leveraging IT services and BPO*² according to customer requests and choices.

Through the joint venture’s DX consulting business and the implementation of market-in approach, ITOCHU will contribute to clients in their efforts for solving issues and reforming businesses.