As the National Computing Centre gears up for its 40th
anniversary conference and celebrations, it has purchased software
evaluation company PMP - the latest in a string of acquisitions
aimed at bolstering its user-focused activities.
The conference, entitled "Business Transformation" is being held
in Croydon this week. It will focus on business continuity,
interoperability, change leadership, managing convergence, planning
and strategy, and learning and professional development.
Paul Burfitt, until this summer CIO of global pharmaceuticals
company AstraZeneca, is to give a keynote presentation on striving
for value in IT, and Darin Brumby, CIO at transport firm First
Group, is to address the conference on values-based leadership as a
competitive weapon.
Other speakers represent the professionalism in IT alliance
between the NCC, the British Computer Society, E-Skills UK and
Intellect.
The NCC, a predominantly user membership organisation, has made
several major user community oriented purchases in recent years.
The latest, PMP, provides a range of market research and support
services aimed at users, including Management Consultants' News,
Conspectus (which assesses software technology), and the Evaluation
Centre, an online repository of reviews and software and services
product appraisals.
Michael Gough, NCC's chief executive, said, "PMP's Conspectus
and Evaluation Centre products complete NCC's positioning as a
one-stop shop for advice and guidance on all aspects of ICT
management and deployment. The acquisition also augments the
centre's growing activities in support of the supply-side of the IT
industry."
the ncc's expansion
2002 Buys user-oriented organisation Certus
2003 Buys the Institute of IT Training
2003 Buys blue-chip user organisation CIO-Connect
2004 Launches Principia, which rebranded existing and acquired
services
2004 Wins Office of Government Commerce contract to accredit all
e-Gif practitioners
2004 Re-acquires Impact Programme
2004 Buys Construction Industry Computing Association
2006 Joins with BCS, Intellect and E-Skills UK to form ProfIT
Alliance to promote IT professionalism in the UK