Joined by leaders from across South Carolina, global consulting giant Capgemini cut the ribbon on its new Security Operations Center (SOC) in the BullStreet District in downtown Columbia. Capgemini is a $14 billion, international consulting, technology services and digital transformation leader with 200,000 employees in more than 40 countries worldwide, serving Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 clients in industries such as energy, financial services, telecommunications, consumer products and retail, and manufacturing.

At the ceremony held inside the SOC on Dec. 5, 2018, a crowd of dignitaries, community leaders, Capgemini leaders, and employees gathered for remarks by University of South Carolina president Dr. Harris Pastides, Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, Capgemini North America Director of Communications Terri Hickey, and John Mullen, member of the Group Executive Committee and president of the North America Business Unit at Capgemini. Teresa Powers was on hand from the S.C. Department of Commerce to present a gift to Capgemini's Mullen, with words of welcome to the firm from the State of South Carolina.

“We are proud to expand and continue to invest in Columbia with our new Security Operations Center,” Mullen said. “This expansion adds to the exciting work Capgemini is doing in Columbia to help companies use emerging technologies like cybersecurity to transform their businesses and drive innovation while maintaining customer trust.”

The ribbon cutting marks an important milestone in Capgemini’s continued investment and expansion in Columbia. Capgemini opened a delivery center – the company’s first South Carolina office – in December 2017 when 125 employees moved into the third floor of 108,541-square-foot First Base Building.

In August, Capgemini expanded its operations in Columbia with the opening of an advanced technology and development center. Capgemini’s multi-million-dollar investment is projected to create hundreds of jobs in high-value and fast-growing technology areas including industry 4.0, digital strategy, cloud, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, customer experience innovation, and other emerging technologies – the largest announcement of tech jobs in Columbia in 10 years.

“The City of Columbia is attracting and retaining more talent than ever before,” says Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia. “What Capgemini brings to the table with this new Security Operations Center is the opportunity for our talent to interact with the most sophisticated cybersecurity technologies on the planet. I’m proud to say that Columbians are keeping data safe for some of the biggest brands in the world.”

The SOC supports Capgemini’s commitment to building and shaping the workforce of the future, offering clients a broader set of capabilities to address the fast-growing areas of digital strategy, cloud, artificial intelligence, customer experience innovation, and other emerging technologies. It also further strengthens the capabilities of its Columbia center to help clients drive innovation, transformation, and operational efficiency across their organizations while protecting data, assets, identities, and overall customer trust.

It is the tenth center of its kind in Capgemini’s global cybersecurity network of managed SOCs. Services offered through the SOC help companies integrate cybersecurity into broader growth initiatives and digital transformation efforts. End-to-end cybersecurity capabilities include security watch, vulnerability management, fraud monitoring, advanced threat detection, analytics, incident response, forensics, and governance risk management and compliance.

“Companies must view cybersecurity not only as risk mitigation, but also as part of their broader growth strategy and a way to gain competitive advantage by becoming more data- and customer-centric,” said Baru Rao, president of Cloud Infrastructure Services North America at Capgemini. “Our progressive as-a-service delivery model provides flexibility for companies to scale cybersecurity services based on their needs, while also evolving to identify and pre-empt the most sophisticated attacks.”

Known as the largest urban redevelopment project on the East Coast, the BullStreet District is South Carolina’s first urban gigabit community and is built to attract talent. The offices feature comfortable, flexible work spaces, modular furnishings, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Spirit Communications Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies Minor League Baseball team.

“The BullStreet District is hardwired with gigabit speeds, an attractive prospect for tech companies like Capgemini that are seeking real estate in vibrant, downtown settings close to restaurants, entertainment, historic neighborhoods, and cultural destinations,” says Robert Hughes, president of Hughes Development Corporation and master developer of the 181-acre BullStreet District. “Talent is attracted to a high quality of life, and today’s leading companies thrive on talent. We are proud to provide a place where Capgemini’s new hires can check out baseball games, enjoy concerts by national groups, and meet up with friends for barbecue and craft beers when the workday is done.”