IPC Launches Managed Services Business Unit and Service Suite for the Global Financial Services Market

JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IPC Systems, Inc., a leading provider of voice and electronic trading communications solutions to the world's top financial firms and global enterprises, today announced the introduction of a Global Business Unit dedicated to designing and delivering Managed Services to help customers navigate through the increased complexity and regulatory requirements associated with trading communications.

This strategic initiative is a result of growing customer interest in specialized services to help improve performance, reduce costs and provide the flexibility to quickly meet changing business demands. Marianne Leitch has been appointed as the senior executive to develop the Managed Services business.

"We partner with our customers to help them realize efficiencies that result in immediate cost savings, which is top of the agenda in today's climate," Marianne Leitch, Senior Vice President, IPC Managed Services said.  "Our Managed Services also provide IPC with an opportunity to transform our service business to support customer requirements well into the future with flexible financial and innovative technology solutions."

"The incentive for the financial industry to embrace managed services has never been greater," Dushyant Shahrawat, Senior Research Director, CEB TowerGroup said. "We estimate that managed services spending will double from $9.4 billion in 2013 to $18.6 billion by 2015. Demand for these services will grow faster than for BPO, KPO and other forms of outsourcing. Capital markets firms will migrate to a Managed Services model driven by cost pressures, renewed focus on core competency, and to remain competitive in areas like securities trading."

IPC Managed Services will leverage the company's core service expertise and global processes to deliver proactive service management, innovative technology solutions and strategic planning focused on the core trading communications technologies:

• Trading Systems;
• Communications networks;
• Voice Recording;
• PBX and Unified Communications Systems;
• Applications.

IPC Managed Services will provide customers with a cost-effective and comprehensive approach to simplify the growing complexities associated with management of today's mission-critical communications infrastructure and day-to-day service management and support.  Managed Services has a growing team of dedicated experienced service delivery professionals, engineering resources, trading communication expertise and marketing and sales support to deliver ITIL-aligned management, support, improved business processes and reporting.  A consultative approach assures each customer gets the services best suited to their organization and needs. Services offered include: system and network monitoring and management, inventory management, vendor management, order management, data protection, application support, transformation services and regulatory conformance.

Stephen Crowe, Vice President, Business Development, will be leading IPC Managed Services sales.  "We are excited about the opportunity to deliver value-added services to the global financial community," Crowe said.  "In partnership with our customers we aim to make it easy for them to achieve their transformation strategies for the trading environment."

About IPC
IPC offers high- and low-touch trading communications and managed service solutions to the global financial trading community including the top investment banks, hedge funds and investment managers in established and emerging markets. With a 100-percent focus on this sector and nearly 40 years of expertise and an unrivaled record of innovation, IPC provides customers with unified solutions that support collaborative voice trading and real-time electronic trading and market data connectivity.  IPC's offerings include the first unified communications/application platform, award-winning hard and soft turrets, electronic connectivity services including enhanced voice services, business continuity solutions, and follow-the-sun service and support. IPC's global reach extends to nearly 60 countries – including a financial extranet of 4,000 on-net locations in over 700 cities and more than 115,000 turrets deployed worldwide. Headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, IPC has approximately 1,000 employees located throughout the Americas and the EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions. For more information, visit www.ipc.com.

SOURCE IPC Systems, Inc.