ABN AMRO transforms the workplace for 3,500 offshore developers with Windows 365

“This project wasn’t just about giving people a new virtual cloud PC. It was an opportunity for us to modernize our workplace and operations even more." 

Menne Menninga, Area Lead Digital Workplace at Dutch bank ABN AMRO, reflects on the positive impact the adoption of Microsoft’s Windows 365 has had at his company.

In a bid to support its global development teams, ABN AMRO is currently strengthening its technology backbone with a view to accelerating software delivery and driving innovation. 

Central to this transformation is a large developer workforce made of 3,500 developers based in India, a team that “plays a crucial role in the success of ABN AMRO,” says Menninga.  

Yet in order for them to succeed, these teams needed a new reliable virtual workplace that could replace their existing, ageing virtual desktop infrastructure.

The stakes were high: decreased performance and high network latency were impacting critical development work. ABN AMRO needed a new virtual desktop that could reduce latency and give developers the same speed and experience as colleagues worldwide. 

The challenge was clear: find a solution that was simple, highly available, scalable, and ready to perform. That solution was Windows 365 Cloud PC.

Building a foundation for simplicity and scale

When ABN AMRO began exploring options, the goal was clear. “We were looking for scalability and reliability. The kind of technology that can grow with us and deliver a seamless experience for every user,” Menninga explains.

Windows 365 stood out for its software-as-a-service (SaaS) model and cloud-native approach. “It offers the familiarity of a laptop but with the flexibility to work from anywhere,” Menninga adds. “And because Windows 365 is cloud-based, we no longer have to think about the infrastructure. That’s all Microsoft. Before, we managed every layer of virtual desktop infrastructures ourselves. Now, it feels like managing a few extra laptops instead of an entire infrastructure.”

Menninga also points out that governance was key: weekly joint meetings, phased rollout, and strong support from Microsoft’s product group ensured success. “If we didn’t have that kind of support, it would have been much harder,” he notes.

Redefining the Developer experience

“The first time I used Windows 365, I thought I was using my own laptop—the performance was that smooth,” says Peter Witmond, Product Owner Virtual Workplace at ABN AMRO.

Previously, switching between screens or running heavy applications highlighted the limitations of the old VDI. Now, Cloud PCs deliver a fast, seamless experience that feels local, even across continents.

Scalability has become effortless, too. “In our own data centers, adding 500 users would mean buying hardware and going through a complex setup. With Windows 365, it’s much simpler because it only takes a few clicks,” Menninga explains. Witmond adds, “If a user needs more power for demanding applications, we can easily scale up to a bigger workplace”.

These changes don’t just improve speed, they also elevate confidence. “Everybody can do their work with the new product,” Witmond explains. “Two-thirds of the people told us it performs even better, which shows how seamless the transition has been. Nearly all users reported a good experience.”

From planning to performance in record time

ABN AMRO knew that technology alone wouldn’t guarantee success. It needed people on board. 

That’s why the team invested in a clear communication strategy, supported by a detailed playbook guiding each weekly migration wave. “We have a very clear engagement plan,” says Menninga. “In the last waves, we noticed a substantial difference in how people address it and integrate.”

After months of preparation, the team launched earlier this year, and within weeks 3,500 developers were working on Windows 365 Cloud PCs. “I’ve never seen such a smooth migration,” Menninga reflects, noting how good planning and clear communication made the difference.

The numbers speak for themselves: network latency dropped by 37%, machine readiness improved by 5%, and more than 20% said it worked seamlessly, showing just how smooth the transition was. 

Behind those results are key cultural initiatives, such as migrating to OneDrive and modernizing authentication, which helped turn a technical upgrade into a cultural shift. “We saw this as an opportunity to make meaningful improvements internally,” Menninga says.

Shaping tomorrow’s workplace: a look into the future

For ABN AMRO, Windows 365 is more than a solution—it’s a foundation for what’s next. The smooth migration didn’t just modernize virtual work; it sparked a mindset shift. 

The team now sees technology as an enabler of creativity and agility. “It looks like a really promising project,” Menninga shares, reflecting on how the experience strengthened confidence in tackling big changes.

With developers happier and performance improving, ABN AMRO is exploring whether and how to extend this success to other environments, ensuring teams everywhere enjoy the same seamless experience and flexibility that Cloud PCs deliver today.