AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands and NEW YORK, Feb. 24, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Wolters Kluwer Corporate & Financial Services, a division of Wolters Kluwer, announced today that it has appointed Brian Longe as president and chief operating officer of its Financial Services business unit. Longe, a versatile leader with a record of success in a variety of industries and corporate settings, will join the Wolters Kluwer organization at the end of February 2005. He will succeed Robert White, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Wolters Kluwer Financial Services, whose plans to retire in 2005 were announced by the company earlier last year.
"For decades, our financial services businesses have been the trusted providers of compliance tools, technology, and resources to the financial services industry," Chris Cartwright, CEO of Wolters Kluwer Corporate & Financial Services division, said. "Today our financial services business is poised for growth in all of its markets and we are capitalizing on our opportunities by rigorously implementing our strategic growth plans. To this end, Brian will engage his strong experience in managing businesses with complex technology solutions; his deep functional understanding of marketing, sales, and product development; and his successful track record and proven results to help us take our business to the next level."
Before joining Wolters Kluwer Financial Services, Longe was CEO of Paragon Corporate Holdings and president and CEO of its A.B. Dick Company. Prior to this, he was president of Bell and Howell Corporation Imaging Companies and held several leadership positions with Ford Motor Company. Longe's experience with these organizations includes acquiring companies and integrating them for greater customer and shareholder value, deploying new and innovative technology for the development and delivery of products and services, and increasing profitability by focusing on customers' needs.
"I am very excited to be joining the Wolters Kluwer Financial Services organization, which has earned its market leadership positions by focusing on its customers needs and through a dedication to excellence in its services and solutions," Longe said. "The financial services business has tremendous opportunities for growth and I look forward to helping the organization to successfully deliver on our vision and strategies."
The appointment of Longe to the Wolters Kluwer Financial Services business is part of a managed succession plan which began early in 2004 when current president Robert White announced his retirement plans. During the first 25 years of White's successful career with Wolters Kluwer, he held leadership positions within Bankers Systems, Inc., a prominent Wolters Kluwer operating company. Named president and CEO of Bankers Systems in 1997, White successfully led the company through its acquisition by Wolters Kluwer, a new long-term owner with a strategic commitment to the business. In 2003, White was appointed to the role of president and CEO of Wolters Kluwer Financial Services business unit, which includes numerous market-leading brands. During his career White led the migration of the organization's technology solutions from early-automation architecture to today's open-architecture solutions, and oversaw the acquisition of several market-leading companies.
Wolters Kluwer Financial Services is the leading provider of compliance and operational risk management tools, technology, and services for financial organizations of all sizes. Major brands in the business unit include Bankers Systems, Inc., VMP(R) Mortgage Solutions, PCi Corporation, CCH(R) Wall Street, CCH Insurance Services, GainsKeeper(R), Atchley Systems, and CCH Capital Changes.
About Wolters Kluwer Corporate & Financial Services
Wolters Kluwer's Corporate & Financial Services Division is a leading U.S. provider of representation, search and filing services to corporate legal departments and law firms, and compliance and operational tools, technology and services for financial services organizations of all sizes. Major brands include Bankers Systems and CT Corporation. The Wolters Kluwer Corporate & Financial Services Division has annual revenues (2003) of Eur 448 million.
Wolters Kluwer is a leading multinational publisher and information services company. The company's core markets are spread across the health, tax, accounting, corporate, financial services, legal and regulatory, and education sectors. Wolters Kluwer has annual revenues (2003) of Eur 3.4 billion, employs approximately 18,750 people worldwide and maintains operations across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Wolters Kluwer is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Its depositary receipts of shares are quoted on the Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices.
Media Peggy Wilson Director of Corporate Communications Wolters Kluwer Corporate & Financial Services Division t + 1 800-397-2341, Extension 5260 peggy.wilson@bankerssystems.com Caroline Wouters Vice President, Corporate Communications Wolters Kluwer t + 31 (0)20 6070 459 press@wolterskluwer.com Investors/Analysts Oya Yavuz Vice President, Investor Relations Wolters Kluwer t + 31 (0)20 6070 407 ir@wolterskluwer.com www.bankerssystems.com www.wolterskluwer.com All trademarks are property of their respective owners.