Kyndryl

Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.

Company type	Public
Industry	Information technology infrastructure services
Predecessor	IBM Global Technology Services (infrastructure services division)
Founded	2021 (2021) in New York City, United States
Fate	Independent company after spin-off from IBM
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	Worldwide (63 countries as of 2021)
Key people	Martin Schroeter (Chairman and CEO)
Products	IT infrastructure services, business advisory solutions, cloud, security and resiliency, network and edge computing, digital workplace solutions, core enterprise systems including zCloud, applications with data and AI
Number of employees	(2020 (approximate client base: 4,400 clients))

Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. is a global American provider specializing in information technology infrastructure services, with its headquarters located in New York City. The company originated from the 2021 spin-off of IBM's infrastructure services division. Kyndryl focuses on designing, constructing, managing, and advancing extensive information systems. Additionally, it delivers business advisory solutions. Recognized as the largest IT infrastructure services firm globally, Kyndryl also ranks as the fifth-largest consulting organization.

History

Kyndryl was officially established in late 2021 following the separation of IBM's infrastructure services segment, which encompassed the majority of IBM Global Technology Services. By the close of 2020, this spin-off catered to approximately 4,400 clients, including three-quarters of the Fortune 100 companies. The brand name "Kyndryl" was introduced in April 2021, combining "Kyn," symbolizing "kinship," and "Dryl," representing "tendril." On November 4, 2021, Kyndryl finalized its independence from IBM and commenced trading on the New York Stock Exchange with Martin Schroeter serving as chairman and CEO. At that time, operations spanned 63 nations and included management of nearly 400 data centers.

By November 2021, Kyndryl had entered into a partnership with Microsoft to deliver digital transformation solutions utilizing Microsoft Cloud technologies. The collaboration expanded in December 2021 to incorporate Google Cloud. In January 2022, Kyndryl updated its financial reporting structure with new segments. The company further allied with Amazon Web Services in February 2022, setting a goal to train 10,000 employees by the end of that year. In October 2022, Kyndryl and Microsoft developed a data pipeline linking Microsoft Azure with Kyndryl’s zCloud platform. According to revenue metrics, CRN placed Kyndryl sixth among IT solution providers across North America in 2022.

On September 28, 2023, the Financial Times disclosed that Kyndryl intended to divest its Chinese operations amid escalating U.S.–China geopolitical strains. Subsequently, on May 13, 2024, Kyndryl announced it had acquired Skytap while divesting its Securities Industry Services division to Broadridge Financial Solutions, aligning with its portfolio optimization strategy.

Services

Kyndryl concentrates on delivering IT services tailored for enterprises by designing, building, managing, and modernizing their IT infrastructure with specialized knowledge in artificial intelligence, data management, and analytics. As of late 2021, its service portfolio encompassed six key areas: cloud; security and resiliency; network and edge computing; digital workplace solutions; core enterprise systems including zCloud; and applications coupled with data and AI. In 2022, Kyndryl introduced Kyndryl Bridge—an integration and automation platform—and launched a business consulting division to broaden its range of service offerings.