Re Agreement

Parity Group PLC 12 July 2001 12 July 2001 Parity forms strategic alliance with Personic Inc. Parity Group plc ('Parity'), the IT consultancy group, today announces a strategic alliance with Personic Inc, the global provider of software for Human Capital Management ('HCM') and e-Recruiting. Under the agreement, Parity gains the right to sell and install Personic HCM software products throughout the European Union and Switzerland and also become Personic's only authorised training partner in the region. It is intended that Parity will invest up to $1 million in Personic preferred stock as part of the agreement. Personic is a privately owned company founded in 1994 and based in California, USA. To date, the majority of its business has been focused on the US market and the strategic alliance with Parity is designed to accelerate the joint penetration of the two companies in European HCM markets. According to industry analysts Aberdeen Group, the global HCM market is valued at approximately $120 million this year, and is expected to reach nearly $10 billion by 2003. The alliance is evidence of Parity delivering on its stated strategic objective of moving into the higher margin HCM market. Ian Miller, Chief Executive of Parity, said: 'It has been our intention to move into HCM consultancy, helping us to reduce the cyclical nature of revenue streams associated with traditional staffing while also offering higher margins. 'This alliance involves all of Parity's core business activities: our Solutions business will help clients define and implement an HCM package to meet their needs; our Staffing business will provide on-going management of their staffing requirements and our Training business will meet clients' training needs both for their own staff and contractors. We look forward to developing a highly productive relationship with Personic.' In addition to the Parity agreement, Personic has recently signed strategic global alliances with both Accenture and Microsoft. - Ends - Further information Ian Miller, Chief Executive, Parity Group plc 020 7776 0800 Michael Harrington, Communications Director, Parity Group 020 7776 0800 Harriet Keen, Financial Dynamics 020 7831 3113 Notes to Editors: About Parity Group plc Parity Group is a leading international IT services company. Founded in 1993, the Group now operates from over 50 offices across Europe and the USA, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For the year to 31 December 2000, Parity reported profit before tax of £13.9 million and turnover of £269 million. The Group has two operating divisions: Parity Solutions is a systems integration company specialising in e-business. The combination of web, systems integration and training services in one company provides a strong competitive offering to customers migrating their business processes to capitalise on the new economy. Parity Software Services brings together Parity's IT staff augmentation businesses in the UK, Continental Europe and the USA. A one-stop-shop for IT directors, providing tailored solutions encompassing temporary staff, permanent recruitment, outplacement and a full HCM service to manage customers' IT staff resources. About Personic, Inc. Personic, Inc. is the premier global provider of recruiting software and services. Its solutions are currently helping more than 50,000 professionals at more than 600 organisations worldwide to fill their human capital requirements faster, more productively and more cost effectively. Personic, a privately held company founded in 1994, is headquartered in Brisbane, California, with regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, London, and Sydney. More information about Personic, Inc. can be found at www.Personic.com Personic's global customers include Worldcom, eQuant, Nortel Networks, Novell, Wal-Mart, Fujitsu, Walt Disney Pictures and Television, Enron, and Citibank.
UK 100

Latest directors dealings