Infoserve Group PLC
Bringing Business to You
Archived News - March 2006
Infoserve signs major new partners
March 2006
Infoserve has strengthened its hold on the UK's local search market by adding the 192 directory, the Football League, The Metro newspaper, and the On-line UK network to its already strong portfolio of online strategic partners.
The 192 directory and search engine, Football League club websites, The Metro newspaper's website, and the hundreds of websites within the On-line UK Limited network now subscribe to Infoserve's online local business search facility.
These major new signings mean that each day millions more people will be able to access information about businesses in their area thanks to Infoserve.
The Football League websites attract over one-and-a-half million visitors a month – a valuable audience for the businesses listed in Infoserve's local business search facility. Due to the uniquely widespread popularity of football, the League club websites are, in most cases, the most visited websites in the city or town where the club is situated.
The Metro is the world's largest free newspaper and the fourth biggest newspaper in the UK – every weekday morning 1,006,821 copies are distributed across the UK. It is the fastest growing newspaper in the UK and the demographics of its readership give a strong young online audience for Infoserve's local search facility.
The 192 directory is the UK's largest free directory enquiries service. The directory's statistics show that more than 1.6 million search requests are carried out on the directory every month with visitors from countries all over the world.
The On-line UK Limited network covers all the UK's major towns and cities, providing valuable local content and information. It has a published network of over 400 websites.
Andy Harcombe, Director of On-line UK Limited, said: “We are very pleased to be working with Infoserve. Infoserve's search functionality perfectly complements our user-friendly local search sites. Its technology has allowed us to provide unparalleled search capabilities through over 140 local sites. Infoserve has provided us with a fast, relevant, search feed so that site users can easily and quickly locate local products and services.”
“We are delighted to announce these latest major partners who all see the enormous added value that our local search offering, which provides a database of over three million UK businesses and organisations, will bring to their websites,” said Steve Barnes, the Managing Director of Infoserve.
“Infoserve offers the best local search facility available because of our strength of business data that covers thousands of categories and locations across the UK. We believe we have the most comprehensive local business data in the UK and are in discussions with other major partners to supply them.”
Infoserve announces appointment of James Newman as Chairman
March 2006
Infoserve has announced the appointment of well-known and respected Yorkshire businessman James Newman as its new Chairman.
James, chairman of Straight plc and non-executive director of Richmond Foods plc and a number of other public and private companies, and formerly Deputy Chief Executive of Kelda Group plc and Group Finance Director of Watmoughs (Holdings) plc, has taken over from David Hood, the technology entrepreneur who built a £250 million fortune out of UK company Pace Micro Technology. David takes up the position of Senior Non-Executive Director.
“I am pleased to welcome James as my successor to Infoserve and I am sure he will continue to build the company and take it forward to even greater success,” said David.
“I will be spending time on other interests, both business and pleasure, although I will maintain an involvement with Infoserve and a close interest in the company.”
James said: “I am delighted to join Infoserve, a company that is well-positioned to capitalise on the fast-growing local search industry.”
“Infoserve is an established company that was early to recognise the enormous potential of local search and has developed a range of first class local search products that bring buyers and sellers together at exactly the right time.
“Infoserve is at a very exciting place in its development and I look forward to playing a key role in its future success.”
Steve Barnes, Infoserve's Managing Director, said: “James' experience and leadership skills will be invaluable to Infoserve in the months and years ahead as we continue to grow. We are indebted to David for his significant contribution to our development and we are pleased he is remaining involved.”
James, whose former roles also include chairman of Waste Recycling Group plc, brings international experience spanning 25 years to his new position at Infoserve. He joins the company as it is implementing ambitious expansion plans that will see it more than treble its 100-strong sales teams within the coming 18 months and increase it to 500 within three years.
“James' appointment is key to the next stage of Infoserve's development plans, that will see the company invest further in all sectors of the business and further improve its local search offering to businesses of all sizes, to consumers, and to its ever-growing network of partners,” said Steve.