British American Tobacco (BAT) is expanding its long-term technology partnership with ITC Infotech as the tobacco company accelerates its digital transformation, with artificial intelligence, technology capability development and operational efficiency becoming central priorities.
According to an announcement from ITC Infotech on August 12, 2026, the companies have expanded their multi-year strategic technology agreement to provide technology services for BAT in Poland, Romania and India. The partnership will also support BAT’s technology centers in Malaysia and Mexico and further develop the company’s newly established Future Capabilities Centre in India.
The financial value and specific duration of the expanded agreement have not been disclosed.
AI Becomes a Key Focus of the Partnership
The expanded partnership is designed to support BAT’s broader transformation of its global technology organization.
ITC Infotech said the collaboration will focus on three major areas: AI-driven innovation, technology capability building and operational optimization.
The two companies also plan to simplify BAT’s end-to-end technology delivery model, with the goal of improving speed, efficiency and service quality across its global operations.
Jean-Pierre Cussac, BAT’s Global IDT Services and Technology Delivery lead, said the expanded relationship with ITC Infotech is expected to strengthen BAT’s technology operations by improving resilience, innovation and agility.
The partnership will also help simplify operating and managed-service models as BAT prepares for the next phase of its digital transformation.
ITC Infotech Expands Its European Technology Delivery Role
For ITC Infotech, the agreement represents another step in its European expansion strategy.
The company will provide technology services in Poland and Romania while continuing to expand its capabilities in India. ITC Infotech will also support BAT’s existing technology centers in Malaysia and Mexico.
Manas Chakraborty, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ITC Infotech, described the agreement as an important milestone in the company’s European growth roadmap and its long-standing relationship with BAT.
The expanded arrangement gives ITC Infotech a broader role within BAT’s global technology delivery network, moving beyond traditional IT services toward technology transformation, AI capabilities and operational restructuring.
Technology Roles in Poland and Romania Are Being Transitioned
The latest agreement follows BAT’s previously announced changes to its global technology operations.
On June 29, 2026, BAT said it was expanding its partnership with ITC Infotech and transitioning certain Information, Digital and Technology (IDT) roles in Poland and Romania to the technology services provider.
At the same time, BAT and ITC Infotech are working together to develop BAT’s new Future Capabilities Centre in India while supporting existing technology centers in Malaysia and Mexico.
The objective is to strengthen digital capabilities, innovation and agility across BAT’s technology organization.
Under the expanded agreement, ITC Infotech will therefore have responsibilities spanning multiple regions, including Poland, Romania and India, while contributing to technology capability centers in India, Malaysia and Mexico.
Part of BAT’s Broader Fit2Win Transformation
The technology partnership is also connected to BAT’s wider Fit2Win transformation program.
BAT has described Fit2Win as an initiative aimed at reducing organizational complexity, improving operational agility and increasing the role of digital decision-making and strategic external partners across the business.
The company’s relationship with ITC Infotech forms part of this broader effort within BAT’s Information, Digital and Technology operations.
BAT said in June that the overall Fit2Win program is expected to generate approximately £600 million in annual cost savings by the end of 2028.
Importantly, that figure represents the target for the entire Fit2Win transformation program, rather than savings specifically associated with the expanded ITC Infotech agreement.
Thousands of Roles Affected by the Wider Restructuring
BAT’s Fit2Win restructuring is also expected to significantly change the company’s global workforce structure.
According to BAT’s previously announced plans, the broader transformation could result in approximately 5,500 fewer positions globally by the end of 2026, while the United States is excluded from the current restructuring.
At the same time, approximately 3,500 roles are expected to transition to strategic external partners.
The move illustrates how BAT is increasingly combining internal capabilities with external technology providers and regional centers of expertise.
Rather than maintaining all technology functions within its traditional organizational structure, the company is moving toward a model in which strategic partners can provide specialized technology services while dedicated capability centers support innovation and digital transformation.
A Shift Toward AI-Driven Technology Operations
The expanded ITC Infotech partnership highlights the growing importance of AI in BAT’s technology strategy.
Rather than treating AI as an isolated digital initiative, BAT appears to be incorporating AI into a broader transformation of how technology services are delivered, managed and scaled across its international operations.
The partnership combines several objectives:
- AI-driven innovation
- Technology capability development
- Simplification of technology delivery
- Greater operational agility
- Expansion of regional technology capabilities
- Increased use of strategic external partners
- Support for BAT’s broader digital transformation
This approach could allow BAT to access specialized technology expertise while reducing the complexity associated with managing a large global technology organization internally.
Global Technology Centers Become Increasingly Important
BAT’s investment in technology capability centers in India, Malaysia and Mexico also reflects a broader trend among multinational companies toward geographically distributed technology operations.
India, in particular, is becoming an important location for global technology and AI capabilities because of its large pool of engineering and digital talent.
The Future Capabilities Centre is expected to play a role in BAT’s efforts to develop new technology capabilities while supporting its global operations.
Meanwhile, ITC Infotech’s involvement in Poland and Romania gives BAT access to an external technology delivery structure within Europe.
The combination creates a more distributed model in which technology services and innovation capabilities are shared across multiple regions.
What the Agreement Means for BAT’s Digital Transformation
The expanded agreement between BAT and ITC Infotech represents more than a conventional outsourcing arrangement.
It demonstrates how BAT is restructuring its global technology organization around AI, strategic partnerships, regional capability centers and simplified service delivery.
For ITC Infotech, the partnership provides an opportunity to deepen its relationship with one of the world’s largest multinational consumer companies while expanding its technology delivery footprint across Europe and Asia.
For BAT, the arrangement could provide greater flexibility and access to specialized technology capabilities while supporting the cost-efficiency and organizational simplification objectives of Fit2Win.
The agreement also illustrates the changing role of external technology providers in large multinational organizations. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into business operations, technology partners are moving beyond traditional infrastructure and IT support toward AI innovation, digital transformation and strategic technology delivery.
With the expanded multi-year partnership now covering Poland, Romania and India, alongside technology capability centers in India, Malaysia and Mexico, BAT is positioning external technology collaboration as an important component of its next phase of global digital transformation.