E-biz growth creates 1,000 new ICL jobs

Pushes global expansion of e-services offering

ICL is to create 1,000 new Internet jobs in Britain as part of a massive £100 million investment in e-business. It's also creating 2,700 jobs in Europe and a further 700 in the US as part of its global investment. In total, ICL will create 4,400 jobs over the next three years, the company announced today. The move follows a doubling of its e-business revenues over the past year and a surge in demand for its skills for developing a whole new generation of Internet services, the company said. Keith Todd, CEO of ICL, said: "This Internet revolution is all about banking, shopping and doing business how and when people want it -- whether by PC, mobile phone, TV, household appliance, in-car system or games console." "Too few organisations have woken up to the opportunities afforded by these new channels and the power of this anytime, anyplace, anywhere service model for transforming their relationships with their customers. "Fewer still have risen to the challenge of integrating all their business processes around the Internet. We foresee a multi-billion pound business for ICL in these areas over the next three years and are expanding aggressively to capitalise on our leadership position." The investment in hi-tech jobs was endorsed by the ecommerce minister, Patricia Hewitt MP, who said this was further evidence that "Britain is a leader not a follower in e-business." On Monday BT announced the formation of BT eBusiness -- a new UK division dedicated to the on-line revolution -- and the appointment of IBM executive, Ben Andradi, as its MD. ®