Customer Stories
Scaling GitHub Copilot for 6,500+ Users at a Leading Global Bank
Turning a successful Copilot pilot into a structured enablement program with champions, governance, and community at a leading global bank.
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Introduction
This case study shows how Xebia enables thousands of employees at a leading global bank to use GitHub Copilot effectively.
Partnering with Xebia, the bank executed a comprehensive enablement strategy covering online learning, train-the-trainer programs, community building, and governance. As a result, the organization now boasts over 35 in-house GitHub Copilot Champions (trainers) and 1,700 active users, with plans to reach 6,500+ by year-end.
At a Glance
Challenge
After a successful Copilot proof of concept, the bank wanted to onboard 2,500 users in three months, but faced the classic risk of “licenses without leverage” due to limited training, internal communication hurdles, and busy leaders struggling to free up time for enablement
Solution
Using its GitHub Adoption Framework, Xebia designed a Copilot rollout built on groundwork, train-the-trainer programs, and community & governance, ultimately stepping in to support internal marketing, champion recruitment, logistics, and the creation of a sustainable in-house Copilot community
Results
The bank now has 35+ Copilot champions, 1,700 trained and licensed users, most trainings delivered internally, and a scalable foundation to reach 6,500+ users while expanding its adoption of the GitHub platform
Business Challenge
This multinational bank operates across dozens of countries, serving millions of private and corporate clients.
Driven by the promise of productivity gains and a culture of continuous improvement, the bank was eager to adopt GitHub Copilot. After a successful proof of concept (PoC), the goal was to onboard the first 2,500 users within three months. Licenses were purchased, and GitHub recommended Xebia to help scale adoption effectively.
Rob Bos, GitHub Trainer and DevOps Consultant at Xebia, explained: “We often see companies simply giving people a license and directing them to YouTube videos, which results in limited understanding. Typically, users grasp only 10–15% of the functionalities because they haven’t fully learned the tool or adjusted their mindset and way of working. Our approach brings them to at least 80% proficiency in just a few weeks.”
He added, “We had previously collaborated with this bank on other DevOps enablement projects, and being invited back for this initiative was a great recognition.”
Solution
Given the large scale of the rollout, Xebia placed strong emphasis on a train-the-trainer component. Bos explained:
“We could train 6,500 people ourselves, but that’s not our approach. We prefer to share our knowledge and empower others to do the same, fostering an in-house community.”
Xebia’s proposal was based on its GitHub Adoption Framework (developed in partnership with GitHub) and structured around three streams:
I. The Groundwork
- Custom “GitHub Copilot Foundations” webinar for internal distribution
- License activation for all intended users
- Creation of a metrics dashboard
- Development of a champion recruitment strategy
II. Train-the-Trainer
- Training groups of 12 champions (executed three times), covering both GitHub Copilot and effective instructional techniques
- Co-training with each champion twice in a supportive environment
- Enabling independent delivery of training, with aftercare as needed
III. Community & Governance
- Teaching champions how to build and sustain a community through sharing tips, updates, and Q&A sessions
- Consulting on governance, including license management for departing employees
Implementation
Over three months, Xebia and the bank implemented the plan. Because the proposal was heavily training-oriented, a team of ten Xebians joined the project. However, an unexpected hurdle emerged.
Bos explained: “The internal marketing of the project—recruiting champions, freeing up time for trainings, and managing communication—was meant to be handled internally. When that proved difficult, we took over much of that responsibility, rewriting the plan, identifying champions, and managing logistics.”
This adjustment reduced training frequency and delayed early progress. Many champions struggled to find the time to participate due to their leadership roles.
To ease the load and sustain momentum, Xebia trained an additional 24 champions. Bos noted: “Once we got up to speed, we began seeing real benefits. Champions started collaborating and supporting one another, often across teams that hadn’t interacted before. It was great to see the community take shape.”
Results
While productivity metrics are still being measured, the initiative achieved major milestones:
- In-House Expertise: 35+ professionals trained as internal GitHub Copilot trainers, over 90% of whom had no prior experience.
- Widespread Adoption: 1,700 employees onboarded with licenses and practical skills, with most training now delivered internally.
- Revenue Growth: A significant number of Copilot licenses purchased, representing a notable revenue increase for GitHub.
- New Platform Adoption: The bank adopted GitHub solutions for the first time, creating opportunities for future integration and portfolio expansion.
Key Learnings
With experience from this engagement, Xebia refined its approach in similar large-scale Copilot rollouts for other enterprises.
Key improvements include:
- Clarity on Scope: Clearly define which “Copilot” solution is being implemented to avoid confusion with other AI assistants.
- Quantified Planning: Establish the number of intended users upfront and divide by 25 to determine the number of required champions and training sessions.
- Defined Responsibilities: Ensure the client owns internal recruitment and communication efforts before project kickoff.
- Learning Infrastructure: Use a centralized learning platform to track participation and ensure training completion before license allocation.
- Preconditions & Expectations: Start each engagement with a session to clarify commitments, responsibilities, and success metrics.
Future
After the initial three-month phase, the bank asked Xebia to continue supporting the initiative — to strengthen what had been built and scale further.
“Our goal is ambitious,” Bos said. “We plan to enable over 6,500 employees by year-end. To achieve this, we’ll train more champions, add self-study materials, and break training into smaller, more digestible pieces to make the workload even more manageable.”
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