IT, a strategic partner for the Group’s Businesses and its transformation - L'Oréal Finance: Annual Report 2018
2018 Annual Report

IT, a strategic partner for the Group’s businesses and its transformation

With the digitalisation of all business segments, Information Technology (IT) is an increasingly strategic function at L’Oréal, providing the technical facilities that are necessary for a successful digital roll-out.

Information Technology is crucial for L’Oréal’s performance

The development of e-commerce, digital marketing and mass data management, the acquisition and internationalisation of digital brands, and brands based on new technologies, such as Modiface: these changes are triggering the exponential transformation of L’Oréal in a short time span. To pave the way for digital projects that are key to the future of the Group and the brands, a strong, highly efficient IT department – with all the teams it needs – is essential. The department has set itself ambitious targets, with the full backing of the General Management, which was invited to attend L’Oréal’s International IT Summit. A prioritisation committee has been set up to determine which of the many projects needed should be granted priority status. IT has also brought in new expertise, exemplified by the Business Relationship Managers, who help on-board IT with the needs of the business, while explaining the constraints of information systems to the teams.
Two of these “interpreters” – Frédéric Dumas de La Roque and Dennis Lienard – explain what their task involves:

Frédéric Dumas de La Roque and Dennis Lienard

Business Relationship Managers

Strategic projects to benefit commercial entities

The IT teams are implementing dozens of projects across many fields of the Group’s activities, facilitating the office tasks of employees and enabling them to communicate and collaborate with each other more effectively. In addition, L’Oréal is stepping up its partnerships to provide teams with the office solutions they need – in line with the spirit of the Simplicity programme – to enable greater collaboration especially on an international scale.

Audrey Lemmert

Employee Experience Director

“L’Oréal IT has significantly modernised the digital workplace for all employees – allowing for much more effective collaboration and flexibility in working from anywhere and with anyone, in line with Simplicity!  I am very excited to be part of this journey to embed new ways of working for all our employees!”

Strategic projects are also optimising working methods within the Group. One example is the global roll-out of the My Market solution, a worldwide platform that enables buyers to share their contacts and data. Other projects develop interfaces with clients to optimise exchanges. The Flight project, rolled out in Travel Retail, remodeled the whole supply chain in this distribution channel, to enable better communication with distributor-clients and gain a significant competitive advantage for an international business managed by different geographical entities.

Resources that drive performance

L’Oréal is setting up the facilities it needs to successfully implement all of these projects. It is also recruiting the most talented engineers and developers, capable of overseeing large-scale projects and making sure the Group maintains its digital edge, particularly by accelerating the roll-out of e-commerce. L’Oréal is also introducing cybersecurity systems to counter and limit the impact of cyberattacks as effectively as possible.