CPP expands UK operations
CPP Group plc has proudly opened the doors of its new contact centre in Chesterfield. This is the latest step in CPP’s continued expansion of its UK business. More than 150 people have already been recruited and an additional 50 jobs will be created before the end of the year. It is the result of the company’s ambitious growth plans as an international marketing services business, offering customer management solutions to multi-sector business partners. Last year UK revenue was up 15 per cent on 2006 to £156m. Internationally the Group turned over £225.2m, up 14 per cent on the previous year.
The new site was officially opened by John Bather, Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire and Hamish Ogston, CPP’s founder and non executive chairman. The Mayor of Chesterfield, Cllr Fred Quayle was also present at the official launch as were representatives of Chesterfield Borough Council, the East Midlands Development Agency and Alliance SSP; these organisations were instrumental in bringing CPP to the town.
Stephen Kennedy, CPP UK managing director says; “The opening of this office in Chesterfield is very exciting news for CPP. It is one of the biggest inward investments in Chesterfield in recent years and will contribute millions of pounds into the local economy. The new site will also enable us to maintain our high levels of customer service and at the same time offer our business partners more revenue generating and cost reduction opportunities.”
This investment by CPP is the company’s third UK contact centre after York (headquarters) and Tamworth in Staffordshire. “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 operations considerably.”
The site in Chesterfield will provide outsourced marketing services on behalf of CPP’s business partners in the financial services and telecom sectors. These non-core, but critical outsourced business services are underpinned by the provision and growing demand for CPP’s Life Assistance products that are designed to help consumers live life and worry less. Today CPP protects 10.6 million consumers and works with over 280 business partners.
Jeff Moore, Chief Executive of East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA), which has provided 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 200 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 200 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.”
Pictured above from left to right:
Stephen Kennedy, Managing Director, Northern Europe, CPP
Eric Woolley, CEO, CPP
John O’Reilly, Business Support Director, East Midlands Development Agency
Hamish Ogston, founder and non-executive chairman, CPP
Ed Newman, Investment Manager, Alliance SSP
Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, John Bather
Cllr Ray Russell, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council
Mike Kneafsey, Consumer Sales and Services Director, CPP
