Nasdaq Europe Entrusts 24x7 Trading Systems Support to Cap Gemini Ernst & Young

Dedication and Vision Help Win IT Outsourcing Contract

Europe's newest stock exchange, Nasdaq Europe, has selected Cap Gemini Ernst & Young UK plc to support and manage its IT systems in a five-year multi-million pound contract.

Cap Gemini Ernst & Young will provide 24x7 support from a London data centre for the Unix systems that run all the organisation's key applications, including the European Trading System which forms the core of Nasdaq Europe's business. The service will include system administration, operational monitoring, fault diagnosis and resolution, backup and restore procedures, system version management and service-level reporting.

Nasdaq Europe says that Cap Gemini Ernst & Young won the contract because of its ability to meet the stringent service levels required in online multinational trading, its experience of financial markets and exchanges, its strong presence across Europe and its excellent record of completing projects at Nasdaq within timescale, within budget and above expectations.

Ann Neidenbach, Chief Information Officer at Nasdaq Europe, said: 'Cap Gemini Ernst & Young played a significant and highly successful role in our European launch earlier this year. They impressed us with their dedication and vision and we are therefore pleased to be working with them on an ongoing basis.'

Phil Godolphin, Account Director at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, said: 'Nasdaq is one of the prime blue chip organisations in the world of finance and winning their business reconfirms our global leadership in financial IT. We are delighted to be in the boiler-room of their operation - at the heart of the action. The nature of their business dictates a need for the highest levels of reliability and excellence to support their towering brand reputation and we are confident that we will help Nasdaq Europe achieve those levels.'

For further information please contact:

Michelle Perkins at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
Tel: 0870 904 5688 or
email: michelle.perkins@cgey.com

Fiona MacRae at Nasdaq Europe
Tel: 0207 825 5506 or
email: fiona.macrae@nasdaq.com

Notes for Editors

Nasdaq Europe, which is a subsidiary of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc has been designed as a truly pan-European exchange. Its unique structure and independence from any national market place make it a perfect fit for innovative companies and forward looking investors across Europe and beyond. The market operates on a pan-European basis, with a unified infrastructure including a single Rule Book, a single membership, a dedicated trading platform, and a seamless link to cross-border trading and settlement.

Cap Gemini Ernst & Young is one of the largest management and IT consulting firms in the world. The company offers management and IT consulting services, systems integration, and technology development, design and outsourcing capabilities on a global scale to help businesses continue to implement growth strategies and leverage technology in the new economy. The organisation employs about 57,000 people worldwide and reports global revenues of more than 8.5 billion euros (2000 pro forma).

More information about individual service lines, offices and research is available at www.cgey.com