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Minor Group Signs IT Outsourcing Deal With IBM


WEBWIRE

Long-Term Outsourcing Relationship to Drive Cost Out of Minor’s IT Operations While Maintaining Critical Service Levels



BANGKOK, THAILAND.- The Minor Group of companies, including Minor International, Thailand’s premier hospitality, leisure and restaurant operator, and Minor Corporation, Thailand’s exclusive distributor of lifestyle products and contract manufacturing business, announced a multi-year deal for information technology (IT) outsourcing and application management services with leading global IT service provider, IBM (NYSE: IBM). This deal will result in improved productivity and enhanced efficiency of its core IT applications and infrastructure and help deliver competitive advantage through technology.

By providing on-demand IT capability to meet changing needs and volumes with usage-based pricing frameworks, IBM will assume responsibility for Minor’s IT operations as well as related support and maintenance tasks for ten years.

“This long-term outsourcing relationship with a reliable partner is essential as we are planning for double digit growth over next five years,” said William Ellwood Heinecke, Minor Group’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “As a result, we need to prepare our IT infrastructure and management to enable greater availability, flexibility and optimum efficiency that meet the needs of our business expansion inside and outside Thailand. Developing a partnership with IBM for its IT Operations and Application Management Services will allow us to enhance our IT systems and infrastructure much quicker and in a more cost effective manner than working on our own.”

“Today’s signing ceremony marks an important milestone in our corporate history, combining the strength of Minor’s leadership in the service industry and IBM’s best practice in IT outsourcing service delivery,” added Mr. Heinecke.

“Minor has always looked for reliable partners who can enhance our IT capabilities especially in the area of operational efficiency, collaboration and business controls while maintaining critical service levels. Adopting IBM’s IT Infrastructure and Application Management Services will allow us to focus on our core business opportunities,” said Neil Hampshire, Chief Information Officer of Minor International Plc. “We have performed extensive analysis to identify what our organization needs from IT systems and we have developed a clear strategy and set of plans. Outsourcing the support of our core applications and infrastructure to IBM will help us deliver against this strategy more quickly and more cost effectively.”

IBM’s IT Outsourcing and Application Management Services provided for Minor Group, covers all its operational and support requirements including data center and disaster recovery service, network services, end user support, application enhancement and maintenance service. Key attributes include driving business value while maintaining high systems and application availability, as well as, making the system more flexible and secure for future applications. IBM will bring significant skill and experience to help Minor reduce risk, accelerate the pace of change, decrease costs and expand capabilities and services.

“The services assure us of technical support at an agreed Service Level which is measured against a comprehensive Service Level Agreement (SLA). With IBM’s global network, our goal of expanding our business internationally can be effectively driven,” said Mr. Neil Hampshire.

Minor will also move its key IT systems to IBM’s world class data center in Thailand to enhance the management and availability of IT support. IBM will help identify opportunities to reduce costs and better leverage the systems and infrastructure. Additionally, dedicated specialists from IBM will work closely with Minor’s IT professionals to see how the company can leverage IT to drive competitive advantage as well as to support its 18,000 employees in delivering excellent products and services to customers.

Mr. Thanwa Laohasiriwong, Country General Manger, IBM Thailand Company Limited, said, “IBM has been committed to delivering world class services to Minor and we have been successfully working together for some time. With this agreement in place, we are honored that Minor has selected us to deliver our world-class technologies and to utilize our global and local expertise to help enhance Minor’s operational efficiency and service capabilities. Sincerely, we hope that our partnership will continue to grow as Minor expands its business in the future.”

This agreement was signed in September of 2007.

About Minor International Public Company Limited
Minor International (MINT) is Thailand’s largest food service operator over 700 outlets system wide under The Pizza Company, Swensen’s, Sizzler, Dairy Queen, Burger King, LeJazz brands, and the latest addition The Coffee Club. It is one of Thailand’s leading hotel operators with a portfolio of 16 hotels and over 2,400 rooms under the Marriott, Four Seasons, Anantara, and Minor International brands in Thailand, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. MINT is also one of the largest spa operators in the Asia Pacific region with 23 spas in Thailand, China, the Middle East and Africa under the Mandara, the Spa and Anantara brands.

About Minor Corporation Public Company Limited
Minor Corporation (Minor) is a leading distributor of international lifestyle brands in Thailand focusing primarily on fashion, cosmetics and education. Its brands include Esprit, Red Earth, Bossini, Timberland, Charles & Keith, JeansWest, Bloom, Laneige, Tumi, Henckels, Time Life, and World Book. It owns and operates one of Thailand’s leading contract manufacturers and maintains an investment portfolio of listed and private securities including a 18.8% stake in Minor International (MINT). Please visit www.minornet.com



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