London – 1 July 2008
StrategyEye, a revolutionary business intelligence tool covering the Digital Media and CleanTech markets, is today announcing it has broken through a highly significant industry milestone.
Between the Digital Media and CleanTech markets, the revolutionary service now tracks, analyses and reports on just over 20,000 companies, 2,700 of them listed – a 30 per cent year-on-year increase.
This represents one of the highest levels of coverage globally of the two sectors, and reinforces the potency of StrategyEye as a powerful business utility.
StrategyEye enterprise clients include Microsoft, MTV, Accel, UBS, Jefferies and Philips amongst many others.
CEO Nick Gregg : “20,000 companies gives StrategyEye a unique global view. The sheer number being tracked means that our users can see a near-perfect, industry wide picture of two highly dynamic and important markets. Nobody else is doing what we’re doing in the way we’re doing it, and we’re proud to have reached this important milestone.”
The service shows users up to the minute information on partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital deals along with other relevant news. Uniquely in the business intelligence sector the information utilizes tens of thousands of trusted blogs to garner cutting edge opinion and analysis. Adding to the mix, experienced human analysts provide their input to complete the picture. Data is presented visually in map form as a ‘battlefield view’ which instantly allows users to see areas of activity and possible opportunities. The 20,000 monitored companies are indexed into 450 Digital Media categories and 201 CleanTech categories.
“We are adding a total of 40 companies a day to the service, so StrategyEye isn’t standing still. Our clients deserve the best, and we’re working hard every day to improve the depth and breadth of our coverage.” Says Gregg.
Analysts measured the worldwide business intelligence sector to be worth significantly more than USD 381 bn†. According to experts, the sector is increasingly instrumental in driving effectiveness and innovation in business.
eviivo wins prestigious Travolution Award for 'Best Use of Technology' in the 'Travel Agent Awards' category.
Judges commented on eviivo and its revolutionary online booking system frontdesk:
“An excellent piece of technology which values and helps the smaller players in the industry to work with the major brands. This is changing the distribution landscape for small brands.”
The Travolution Awards are organised by Travolution Magazine - the UK's only media brand dedicated to the online travel industry - and is the most respected event for the travel sector. The Travolution Awards recognise the best operators, agents, portals, digital marketers and suppliers in the industry, and were unveiled at an evening ceremony on Thursday 24 April.
StrategyEye, the innovative next generation business intelligence platform, has signed a partnership to provide content to BNET Industries, a new business media site and part of the CNET Networks company.
The deal is a significant boost for London-based StrategyEye, which provides highly filtered information, analysis and collaboration tools to senior executives in complex industries such as digital media and clean technologies.
BNET Industries is a major strategic initiative for CNET (Nasdaq: CNET). It combines original reporting with information on the business fundamentals of more than 9,000 public companies covering 11 industries. It gives business managers a single destination to research activity.
The BNET integration is the first global content licensing deal for StrategyEye. The company is providing its feeds alongside a small number of established global providers such as Reuters.
StrategyEye is now able to leverage its meta-data and categorisation approach in such a way as to allow it to integrate granular xml feeds on individual companies and categories (social networks for example) into major portals and corporate intranets.
“The BNET goal to help executives monitor their ecosystem more effectively fits very closely with our core approach to adding contextual, meta-data driven intelligence to any corporate activity,” commented Nick Gregg, CEO of StrategyEye.
“Our value-chain mapping coupled with the accuracy of our article indexing will allow BNET users to rapidly understand the context of any event and to easily assess its strategic impact on other related companies or categories.”
The deal was welcomed by Greg Mason, senior vice president of CNET Networks business and technology properties. “Many of the issues that managers face are universal in nature – they apply in all industries, professions, and countries.
“StrategyEye’s contextual content in complex or rapidly-changing industries, such as Digital Media, enables our global audiences to identify and interpret trends quickly – helping them make faster, more informed business decisions and to spot potential emerging opportunities or competitive risks.”
For further information please contact Kim Baker at StrategyEye on + 44 (0) 72442204 or Toby Moore at Monument Public Relations: + 44 (0) 79533800
Press release 5th March 2008
TDX Group has launched a business to provide services to Spain and Portugal. By incorporating the existing credit risk consultancy business of Madrid based Indigo Value Analysis [“Indigo”]; the new company is well positioned to grow in a rapidly developing market.
Leveraging TDX Group’s experience in the UK debt market, the business will assist Spanish banks and consumer finance companies in maximising their returns from delinquent portfolios, at a time when levels of personal debt are rapidly increasing.
Analysis by TDX Group and Indigo indicates that the Spanish retail banking sector is experiencing many of the challenges faced by its UK counterpart in recent years; years of lending growth of over 20%, and the indebtedness associated with that, have led to a doubling of Spain’s personal debt-income ratio of individuals in the last decade - now well over 100%.
Current market conditions, including stagnating house prices, higher interest rates and inflation are further complicating matters. Spanish banking institutions and consumer finance providers are experiencing higher bad debt levels, which rose by 35% in 2007. Analysis indicates that total arrears resulting from all types of consumer lending will grow to 20 billion euros by 2010.
In order to react effectively to the changing landscape, TDX Group believes that Spanish creditors should look to their arrears management strategies as an opportunity to compensate for slowing growth by extracting additional value from their portfolios.
In the UK, TDX Group has worked with a number of major clients to drive significant improvement in arrears management and returns from semi and non-performing assets including HSBC, Halifax-Bank of Scotland, Alliance & Leicester and Eon. The Spanish business will provide a similar range of analytics-based solutions to financial institutions and utilities including:
- Advisory services – working with creditors to define and drive programmes of joint investment and improvement in credit risk management
- Asset valuation and sales – maximising returns for sold debt through a full end-to-end solution from sale strategy to execution and resale services
- Recoveries management – achieving a 15-20% like-for-like improvement in portfolio performance for creditors by placing and managing debt through a network of leading collection agencies
Mark Onyett Chief Executive of TDX Group said: “This move marks the next step in TDX Group’s rapid evolution from a start-up four years ago to a well-established business with a blue chip client base and ambitious plans for international growth. As well as Spain, we are also attracted to the Latin American market, where Indigo already has a foothold.”
Onyett added, “With Spanish banks facing the prospect of rising delinquencies and losses, we believe there is a tremendous opportunity to revolutionise the Spanish debt industry. Spain today closely resembles the UK retail banking sector four years ago when the challenging loss environment was just emerging. We expect conditions in Spain to follow a similar trajectory as they did in the UK over the last 4 years. Given this backdrop, Spanish banks have a strong opportunity to learn from the UK experience and adopt a best practice approach. We strongly believe that the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is no longer appropriate, and creditors will need to move to a segmentation driven strategy, where consumers’ personal circumstances can be taken into account.”
Luis Montero, Chairman, Indigo, added: “Indigo has already developed strong relationships with many of Spain’s leading banks and consumer finance organisations, many of whom are under no illusion about the need to implement a more focused and strategic approach to dealing with non-performing portfolios. TDX Group’s approach has created tremendous value for UK creditors and we feel that by combining Indigo’s strength in credit risk, we can rapidly begin helping Spanish creditors to adopt a broader and more sophisticated approach to deal with the worsening debt climate.” Prior to founding Indigo, Luis was a director and leader in McKinsey & Company’s Iberian Peninsula Financial Institutions Practice. He will serve as managing director of TDX Group in Spain.
Emerging Media, formerly known as Investors in Cricket, is delighted to have won one of the eight Indian Premier League (IPL) 20-20 franchises. In the ‘headline grabbing’ bid process in Mumbai on Thursday, Emerging Media were the only international company to win a franchise, securing Jaipur for $67m. The IPL has raised $1.1billion for its broadcast television rights, and now supplemented that with $724m from the eight franchise awards completed this week. The league is scheduled to launch on April 18th.
Emerging Media, has been a significant and long standing investor in cricket through its subsidiary – Investors in Cricket (IIC). The group is focused on developing properties for the Indian sub-continent. The group has a commercial partnership with Leicestershire County Cricket Club, and staged the first ever international club 20-20 championship in 2006. In India, the company is best known for launching the largest ever talent hunt reality show ‘Cricket Star’ on Doordarshan (the national channel) and Zee ( a satellite channel) last year.
Emerging Media had targeted the Jaipur franchise, given its world class facilities, and especially the academy, which is where Cricket Star 2020 (the next series) will be based. There is also a significant Rajasthani diaspora outside of India (the Marwari community), which the company hopes to reach.
Manoj Badale, chairman of Emerging Media, said ‘we are delighted by the award, and we recognise that the hard work begins now. The IPL is probably the most significant and historic development in domestic cricket globally.’
Fraser Castellino, CEO of Emerging Media, said ‘our experience with Cricket Star 2020 has given us great insights into the undiscovered talent in India. We now have a platform to display this talent through the Jaipur franchise.’
About Emerging Media
Emerging Media is a media group focused on the Indian Subcontinent. Through our subsidiary, Investors in Cricket, Emerging Media launched India’s first Cricket talent hunt and reality show (Cricket Star), after developing a partnership with Leicestershire county cricket club, and staging the first international club 20-20 championship.
Contact
Lily Ahluwalia - IPAN
DEBT FREE DIRECT GROUP PLC INTERIM RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2007
Debt Free Direct Group (DFD), the leading debt advice and solutions company, today announces its interim results for the six months ended 31 October 2007.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Group to be renamed Fairpoint Group Plc. (“Fairpoint” or the “Group”)
- Clarity on agreed fee structures and confirmation of Fairpoint’s successful audit and “accreditation ready” status
- Growing consumer debt problem and the “credit-crunch” provides an increasingly favourable market backdrop
- The benefits of the Group’s scale and industry-leading performance increasingly important and already becoming evident
- Fairpoint’s new strategic direction set:
- continue industry consolidation plans as market leader, following the successful integration of Clear Start UK Limited (“Clear Start”), which is anticipated to deliver greater-than-expected synergies of £2m over the next 12 months
- develop as a broader based financial services company with full range of solutions for “financially stressed” consumers
- accelerate the growth of non-IVA products and services
Total Group revenue in H1 FY08 of £20.1m, including a £4.7m non-recurring item (H1 FY07: £13.0m)
Adjusted profit before tax in H1 FY08 of £5.4m, including net £4m non-recurring items (H1 FY07: £5.4m)
Watershed in industry providing marked change in trading environment. Positive outlook, with significant profitability and growth expected. We are now able to forecast with greater confidence given agreed fee structures and a more stable backdrop.
Mike Blackburn, Chairman, said:
“It has been a challenging first half where the well-documented issues affecting the IVA industry impacted on the Group’s profitability, particularly as we continued to invest heavily in marketing in order to grow our market share and build up our back book. We have seen a material improvement in the key factors influencing trading in the last two months. The competitive landscape has changed following a period of uncertainty in the industry. We now have an equilibrium in which the newly named Fairpoint Group can prosper as a market leader in providing solutions for the increasingly financially stressed UK consumer. The board is approaching the future with considerable optimism for a return to significant growth and profitability. Against that background the Board itself is undergoing further changes. Paul Latham, Finance Director and one of the founders of the business, has chosen to step down today but will remain available to ensure a smooth handover to his successor. I would like thank Paul for his invaluable contribution in building up the market leading position of DFD. Further details are provided later in this announcement.”
INTRODUCTION TO FAIRPOINT
Following the acquisition of Clear Start UK Limited in June 2007 and the creation of an enlarged group with a broadening service range, it is proposed that the Group will change its name to Fairpoint Group Plc. A resolution to that effect will be put to shareholders at a forthcoming EGM (notices to be given as soon as practicable). The Group will continue to operate all its existing consumer brands.
The new board of Fairpoint has agreed a strategic plan for the group which is to continue its growth as a Financial Services provider of advice and solutions to ‘financially stressed” consumers. We expect to continue to be the market-leading provider of IVA solutions to over-indebted consumers but also offer a broader range of debt solutions, as well as a new suite of products and services aimed at assisting consumers as they rehabilitate their finances and thereafter. These will be added by both organic development and consolidating in-fill acquisitions.
Commensurate with the values that have guided the Group to date and helped us create a market leading position:-
“We continue to believe that best advice to both consumers and creditors, will build “most trusted advisor” relationships, which will allow us to provide services throughout the lifetime of our customer relationships.”
Read moreThe Ministry of Tourism of India has launched a new e-Commerce platform on its website www.incredibleindia.org.
Launching the platform here today the Tourism and Culture Minister Smt. Ambika Soni said there is no doubt the web based enabled services tourism will strengthen the industry and empower the customers. She said it will facilitate customers to communicate directly with agencies, tour operators, hotels and Bed & Breakfast establishment 24 hours a day.
...
The e-commerce platform has been developed jointly by Ministry of Tourism, and EVIIVO. The main objective of this platform to facilitate SME (Small and Medium Entrepreneur) to be on Global Network to promote/sale there produce online without any committed investment.
www.incredibleindia.org and technology partner EVIIVO will now be offering online booking services for a range of accommodation businesses across India, enabling international visitors, currently representing 70% of the site traffic, and domestic visitors to use the new hotel and Bed & Breakfast establishment live availability search on the homepage and complete their transaction in USD or Indian Rupees.
Grab Your Chance to Become the Coveted Cricket Star and Hone Your Skills at the Leicestershire Cricket County
The winner of Cricket Star 1 - Sukhvir Singh, son of a bus driver from Shahpur village near Mohali, Punjab, is all set to fly to England on Friday, 1st June, to recieve coaching and training at the Leicestershire County Cricket Club. The 19 year old lad has proved his mettle in the all India cricket talent hunt to earn the coveted opportunity to play with Leicestershire Cricket County for this season. Sukhvir Singh, hailing from a humble background with no opportunity to play professional cricket thanked Cricket Star for a once in a life time opportunity that is changing his life story.
Now, with dreams becoming a reality for this budding cricketer, the rest of India can take a clue from Sukhvir's success and start registering themselves for Cricket Star 2.
Thanks to Cricket Star, runner up Dinesh Salunke, from Mumbai is getting a contract to play for Air India and will also be going to the UK to play Club Cricket.
Kapil Dev, the chief selector of the unique all India talent hunt is highly impressed with the passion and commitment of these budding cricketers and has awarded scholarships to Samandeep Singh and Mohammed Abbas to pursue their cricket dreams. Robin Singh the Director of the Cricket Star Academy has agreed to take the Cricket Star contestants for a coaching sting under his guidance at Chennai.
With Cricket Star 1 becoming a resounding success among the youth across India, the unique cricket talent hunt is open for registration. Participants now can log onto www.cricketstar.tv and submit their entries for Cricket Star 2.
About Cricket Star:
'Cricket Star'-Lakhon Mein Ek!!! is a unique, interactive, multimedia talent hunt for the world's best young cricketer(s) whom the entire country will relate to and feel proud of. Cricket Star's passion, drama and energy has captured the hearts and minds of millions of viewers who have followed the unraveling story on television, across the Internet and through their mobile phones. The winner will win an expenses-paid contract with Leicestershire County Cricket Club (one of 18 professional first class teams in the UK) and attractive cash prizes besides earning an international celebrity status.
About IIC:
Investors in Cricket is an innovative company which specializes in the creation and management of sports rights that have relevance to the Asian sub-continent. IIC was formed by a group of businessmen and entrepreneurs who were convinced that their commercial acumen, can-do attitude and passion for the game could have a positive impact on cricket. Over the past 24 months that conviction has been borne out and IIC has grown rapidly. Its properties now include Cricket Star (the cricket reality TV show), The International 2020 Club Championship (the "Champions League of 2020 Cricket"), and the commercial rights of Leicestershire County Cricket Club.
eviivo's substantial stock of small to medium-sized hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses is now listed on leading travel search website SideStep.
eviivo, the global licensor of the frontdesk software product, announced today its substantial stock of small to medium-sized hotels is now searchable and bookable online through leading travel search website sidestep.co.uk.
Savvy travelers looking for the Web’s best bargains on aggregator site SideStep will now have the choice to access an extensive listing of diverse, independent hotels, B&Bs and guest houses across the UK.
This new partnership also means that eviivo reached another step in its mission to provide the SME sector of the tourism industry with a wider online presence and effective tools to compete with the larger hotels and chains. SideStep’s range of strategic and traffic-generating online marketing techniques such as newsletters, sweepstakes, pay-per-click advertising and search engine optimisation represents a key opportunity for the SME sector to take full advantage of the internet revolution by potentially attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to their site every month.
Frontdesk is the first low-cost, user-friendly property management system to enable small to medium-sized hotels, B&Bs and guest houses in the UK to sell their rooms online and in real time, via their own website and major internet distribution channels such as SideStep, as well as national and regional destination websites like Visit Britain and Enjoy England.
Keith Badman, Managing Director at eviivo, comments: “We are absolutely delighted to have SideStep as a new addition to our growing list of major online distribution partners. More than five million consumers turn to SideStep each month for serious savings on travel. Thanks to this new partnership, we continue to enhance our proposition to over 1,100 users of our Frontdesk suite of products across the UK including independent hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, self-catering and tour & attraction providers. By massively increasing the internet exposure of our Frontdesk users and assisting them with online marketing and revenue management, we continue to level the playing field for the independent sector, formerly dominated by the big chains.”
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council today launched the Unity Partnership, a joint venture designed to deliver improved services to the citizens of Oldham
London, UK, 02 May 2007 - Agilisys, one of the UK's most innovative IT and business process service providers, today announced it is entering in to a 12-year £80m agreement with the Unity Partnership, a joint venture between Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, Mouchel Parkman and HBS. Agilisys started delivering ICT Services today to Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council under the terms of the agreement.
The Unity Partnership will bring estimated benefits of £190m to the local economy and aims to kick-start widespread regeneration plans by helping the Council to deliver its property, highways, exchequer, customer and ICT services.
Agilisys will be working with the Unity Partnership to deliver major investment programmes in IT and business processes to transform Council services and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services provided to the citizens of Oldham.
In addition, Agilisys will play a key role in supporting community cohesion and the regeneration of the Borough through its commitment to bring new jobs to the area, employing local residents to provide services to Agilisys' broad client base spanning both the public and private sectors.
Charles Mindenhall, Agilisys CEO, commented "We are delighted to be working with the Unity Partnership and are fully committed to improving the services provided to the citizens of Oldham and supporting regeneration through job creation. This Partnership will change the face of Oldham, and we are excited to be part of that. We have seen the impact already in the early stages of our partnership with Rochdale Metropolitan Borough where in under a year we have implemented the Council's Contact Centre and invested in a new business centre to accommodate this service and similar services for other major clients in Financial Services and Healthcare. We are looking forward to having the same success in Oldham."
Mike Chambers, Deputy Chief Executive of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council said: "The Council's vision of a prosperous and thriving Oldham is one step closer with the Unity Partnership and Agilisys. Together, our aim will be achieved more quickly and effectively. It will free-up the Council's resources and allow us to concentrate on our main priority - improving living standards for the community."
For further information:
Christine Grady,
Agilisys,
Email: christine.grady@agilisys.co.uk
Tel: 0208-237-6111