Westpac, Australia’s premier bank with a rich heritage spanning over two centuries, has announced a significant technological advancement as it embarks on upgrading its extensive network of over 40,000 staff computers to Windows 11 Enterprise.

The upgrade is a testament to Westpac’s commitment to providing cutting-edge tools to its employees and ensuring the highest standards of security for its valued customers.

Established as the first bank in Australia, Westpac has grown to serve approximately 12.7 million customers across Australia and New Zealand. The bank’s legacy of innovation continues as it evolves to meet the demands of a modern banking landscape.

In response to the changing work environment, with a substantial portion of its workforce now operating remotely, Westpac recognised the need to enhance its technology infrastructure.

The transition to Windows 11 Enterprise aligns with Westpac’s mission to improve the experiences of both its customers and employees.

Paul McKenna, Head of Workplace and Contact Centre Infrastructure at Westpac, emphasised the importance of staying ahead of the curve.

“Our workforce has expanded significantly, with thousands of employees now working from home regularly. This transition highlighted the necessity of having the latest software and endpoint security,” said McKenna.

The upgrade to Windows 11 Enterprise was executed seamlessly through a phased deployment approach. The implementation involved not only upgrading existing hardware but also provisioning approximately 3,000 new laptops.

Windows 11 Enterprise devices provide enhanced productivity features, including support for multiple 4K monitors, rapid application performance, and extended battery life, further empowering Westpac’s diverse workforce to excel in their roles.

Westpac’s IT team worked diligently to upgrade 4,000 devices per week, and future projects are expected to see even faster deployment as the bank completes its transition to modern cloud management using Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra Identity (Azure Active Directory).

Throughout the transition, Westpac also leveraged Microsoft’s App Assure service, which proved invaluable in resolving compatibility issues and ensuring a smooth rollout of Windows 11 Enterprise.

The bank also chose Microsoft Edge as its default browser, enhancing web application performance and utilising Bing as its primary search engine and aligns with Westpac’s broader ecosystem strategy, combining management tools like Intune, cloud services, and Edge.

Microsoft said that Westpac has also “chosen Microsoft Edge as its default browser”, in part to run legacy applications in IE mode on Edge.