CPP will open a new contact centre in July in Chesterfield that will see over 300 new jobs created by the end of the year.

This investment by CPP will be the company’s third contact centre in the UK after York (headquarters) and Tamworth in Staffordshire.

The site in Chesterfield will be opened to provide outsourced marketing services on behalf of its business partners. These services accommodate the rapidly growing demand for CPP’s Life Assistance products and services in the UK, which are designed to help consumers live life and worry less. Today CPP protects 10.6 million consumers and works with over 280 business partners in predominately the financial services and telecom sectors.

“We are extremely excited about the new site, as it is one of the biggest inward investments in Chesterfield in recent years and will contribute millions of pounds into the local economy,” said Stephen Kennedy, CPP UK managing director. “Our contact centres in York and Tamworth currently handle over 4 million customer service conversations every year and Chesterfield will allow us to expand our UK and international operations considerably.”

CPP will launch in July and expects to have 200 employees by August with an additional 100 employees recruited by the end of 2008.

Jeff Moore, Chief Executive of East Midlands Development Agency (emda), which will provide a grant of £1.75 million to support the investment said: “This is great news for Chesterfield and North Derbyshire and represents a huge commitment to Chesterfield by CPP. It recognises the opportunities that the area can offer to employers and also supports the wider need to diversify some of our local economies in the region. We have been particularly pleased to have worked alongside the Alliance SSP and Chesterfield Borough Council in order to bring CPP to the East Midlands.”

Cllr Ray Russell, Chesterfield Borough Council Leader added: “The Council very much welcomes the decision of CPP to open its new Contact Centre in Chesterfield. The creation of 300 jobs is a great opportunity for the town and will make a major contribution to the economic regeneration of the Borough.”

Speaking about the investment, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield said: “The creation of 300 new jobs in Chesterfield is good news for all. I understand that CPP are working closely with Chesterfield Borough Council and will be holding local job recruitment fairs. An increasing number of new businesses are finding Chesterfield an attractive place to locate in and CPP are a very welcome addition to that growing trend as the town transforms itself.”

Chief Executive of the Alliance SSP, Andrew Street said “I am delighted that CPP has chosen Chesterfield for this major new investment. It is a huge vote of confidence in the town where a number of exciting new developments are underway. CPP is a highly respected, fast growing and forward looking company and I am confident that its association with Chesterfield will be long and mutually beneficial”.

“The Alliance SSP’s role is to help change and diversify the economic base of north Derbyshire and north Nottinghamshire partly through attracting new investors and we need to have more companies from the business and financial sector of this quality. We have worked closely with colleagues at Chesterfield Borough Council and emda over several months to ensure that CPP identified the best location and all other appropriate support ahead of this final decision. We will continue to support CPP as it recruits and trains local staff and settles into the town.”