The new company will focus on developing solutions and services for Nokia's e-business and customer relationship management (CRM) needs.
Commenting on the agreement, Tarmo Ruosteenoja, Vice President of Nokia Information Management, said: "Nokia is a world leader in its industry. The mission of Nice-business Solutions Finland Oy is to implement e-business and customer relationship management solutions and services that support Nokia's strategy. Nokia chose ICL as its partner because of the company's impressive track record in the e-business area. The arrangement also ensures that in addition to our own growing resources, we have the best expertise in the field at our service."
Esa Tihilä, Director of ICL's global e-business and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nice-business Solutions Finland said: "A joint venture with Nokia is a significant expansion to the existing co-operation between our two companies. ICL is Europe's leader in e-business services and for us it is important to co-operate with market leaders in long term partnerships. The agreement now signed will further enhance ICL's transition to become an all e-business company over the next few years."
The new company will be owned 66,5 per cent by ICL and 33,5 per cent by Nokia. During its first operating year, Nice-business Solutions Finland Oy will employ about 200 persons, and substantial growth is expected during the following two years. At first, the company will establish business sites in Helsinki, Turku and Tampere.
About ICL
ICL is a global IT services company. It designs, builds and operates information systems and services for customers in the retail, finance, government, telecoms, utilities and travel markets. The company has operations in over 40 countries and employs over 22,000 people.
Today ICL improves business performance and competitiveness through services focused on electronic business, enterprise applications and the implementation and outsourcing of IT infrastructure.
For the 12 months to 31 March 1999 the company's revenues were £2.735 billion which generated a profit before tax and exceptional charges of £64.5 million. Headquartered in London, ICL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu and plans to float on the London Stock Exchange in 2000. www.icl.com
About Nokia
Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative products and solutions. The company is the leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks, related services as well as multimedia terminals. In 1999, Nokia's net sales totaled EUR 19.8 billion (USD 19.9 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges and employs more than 55 000 people.