Accenture to further position Universal Music ahead of digital media curve

LONDON; March 12, 2008 – Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has been selected to provide the next-generation digital supply chain for the international division of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company. 

The long-term agreement is designed to help Universal Music further adapt its business processes and systems to continue to stay ahead of the explosive demand for digital content and services, giving the music company an even more consolidated, efficient and flexible technology platform to continue growing its digital services revenues.

Drawing on its leadership in digital media services, Accenture will provide a managed digital supply service that Universal Music will operate in all geographies outside of North America. Digiplug S.A.S, which Accenture acquired last year and integrated into its Digital Media Services business, will collate and store Universal Music Group’s audio and video content, artwork and metadata to distribute to the music company’s mobile and digital business partners.

Accenture’s services should further enable Universal Music to launch new digital products more quickly, react to changes in the marketplace faster, provide clients with a higher level of service, and reduce the unit cost to create, manage and distribute music and video releases.

Rahmyn Kress, managing director of supply chain management at Universal Music Group International, said, “The demand for mobile and digital content continues to grow at a ferocious pace and has become a major driver in the music and entertainment industry.  Accenture’s global scale and experience in digital media together with our long-standing relationship with Digiplug means we will be able to better anticipate and deploy the digital supply chain infrastructure essential to our continued industry leadership.”

Oday Abbosh, an Accenture partner in the Media & Entertainment group said, “The revolution in digital media is creating immediate challenges as well as exciting opportunities.  Accenture is focusing on helping clients with the creation and distribution of content across all channels, including mobile and digital.  We look forward to helping Universal Music become an even higher performer in the digital media world.”

For more information on Accenture Digital Media Services can be found at www.accenture.com/UMGI
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About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company.  Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments.  With more than 175,000 people in 49 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$19.70 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2007.  Its home page is www.accenture.com.

About Universal Music Group
  
Universal Music Group is the world's largest music company, with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation.

Its labels include Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal South Records and Verve Music Group, as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, a new media and technologies division, Bravado, its merchandising company, and Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.

Contacts:
Gary Morgenstern, Accenture
973-301-3347 (office)
973-526-4120 (mobile)
Gary.a.morgenstern@accenture.com

Adam White, Universal Music Group International
+44 (0) 207 471 5665 (office)
+44 (0)7808 924 030 (mobile)
adam.white@umusic.com