VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator, has announced that Garaj, the enterprise solutions arm of its Pakistani digital operator Jazz, will assist in setting up a regional availability zone for Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), one of the world’s leading banks. This partnership aims to enhance SCB’s operational resilience and improve customer experience across multiple regions, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to digital transformation and efficient global data center operations.
The partnership was formalized with a signing ceremony attended by Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, and Rehan Sheikh, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan. Through this collaboration, Garaj will establish a Tier 3 Data Center in Pakistan that meets Global TIA-942 standards, hosting SCB’s core IT and banking systems to ensure high availability and secure data management.
Garaj will provide disaster recovery data center services, along with robust backup and continuity systems, to safeguard SCB’s banking operations and enhance customer experience. The agreement includes 24/7 operational support from Garaj, featuring a dedicated Network Operations Center (NOC) and a helpdesk staffed by certified engineers. This arrangement aims to maintain high system uptime, enabling Standard Chartered Bank to ensure business continuity and improve customer satisfaction through seamless services.
Asif Aziz, President of Enterprise Solutions at Jazz Business, commented on the partnership: “Our collaboration with Standard Chartered Bank is expected to enhance operational resilience and ensure secure, uninterrupted services for its customers. Our critical infrastructure and advanced cybersecurity solutions provide a robust foundation for our clients in financial services and underscore our commitment to reliability and innovation.”
Rehan Shaikh, CEO of Standard Chartered Pakistan, stated, “This strategic partnership strengthens the Bank’s technology infrastructure and advances our digital thought leadership. By leveraging Garaj’s state-of-the-art purpose-built data center, we reinforce our commitment to providing secure, robust, seamless, and accessible digital banking solutions to our customers. This alliance represents a significant step forward in our mission to accelerate digital transformation and contribute towards a more inclusive financial landscape in Pakistan.”
Garaj boasts over 400 enterprise customers and provides a range of IT and IT-enabled solutions, including cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and managed services. The company operates two cloud availability zones with a strong emphasis on data residency, ensuring that critical data remains within the country. Earlier this year, Garaj achieved Premier Partner status with VMware and enhanced its position as an Operator Cloud Solution Provider with Microsoft, facilitating scalability and resilience for business-critical infrastructure.
Jazz’s enterprise vertical, which includes Garaj, serves 98 of the top 100 companies listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange. In line with VEON’s digital operator strategy, which aims to foster growth by offering a diverse portfolio of connected digital services, Jazz plans to continue expanding its cloud services and IT solutions, scaling its enterprise business beyond Pakistan.
About Jazz:
Jazz is Pakistan’s leading digital operator with over 71.4 million cellular subscribers and 63.3 million monthly active users of digital services. The company offers the most extensive portfolio of digital services, including JazzCash, Pakistan’s leading fintech platform; Garaj, the largest onshore cloud and cybersecurity platform; and Tamasha, the country’s largest homegrown OTT video streaming and entertainment service.
About VEON:
VEON is a digital operator providing converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers. Operating across six countries, which together are home to over 7% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and stimulate economic growth. VEON is listed on Nasdaq and Euronext. For more information, visit: https://www.veon.com.
