Baltimore and PricewaterhouseCoopers Form Strategic Alliance to Provide Global PKI and Consultancy

Business Wire, Jan 18, 1999

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 1999--Baltimore, the operating name of Zergo Holdings plc (London:ZGO), and global specialists in Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) systems for e-commerce and enterprise security, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Global Risk Management Solutions (GRMS) practice have joined forces in a strategic alliance which will see PricewaterhouseCoopers combine its global security and network consultancy and implementation skills with Baltimore's world class PKI products and technical abilities, aimed at providing clients with secure end-to-end electronic commerce solutions.

Market analysts, Intelliquest, are predicting the market for Internet e-business to grow exponentially to $1.2 trillion by 2002(a) and this alliance puts Baltimore and PricewaterhouseCoopers in a very strong position to meet the expected market demands. "PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) is absolutely critical to enable secure e-business applications," said Mathew Bowcock, executive director of marketing at Baltimore. "Baltimore's range of security products and services are complementary to GRMS consultancy skills and we view this partnership as an endorsement of our market position and capabilities. It will bring many mutual benefits as we combine our strengths to inspire a high level of customer confidence and provide secure applications."

The PricewaterhouseCoopers Technology Risk Services team, a group within GRMS, acts as a critical resource for customers wishing to implement e-business solutions. These services include e-business, enterprise and network security, penetration testing, risk management and technical control reviews. As part of this agreement, PricewaterhouseCoopers is involved in Baltimore's Trusted World Partners Program. This program helps software developers, systems integrators, consultants and resellers to capitalise on the growth in demand for public key-enabled secure networks by providing best of breed cryptographic products.

"Our aim is to provide clients with secure end to end electronic business solutions," said Alastair MacWillson, the global technology risk leader for the GRMS practice. "Our alliance with Baltimore enhances our e-business and security product set providing a high value proposition to take to clients. It will assist them to meet the rapidly growing demand for secure online e-business networks. This is complemented by PricewaterhouseCoopers's other related risk management, consultancy, tax and legal services."

PricewaterhouseCoopers, through GRMS, is involved in Baltimore partner program at two levels -- the Baltimore's Business Alliance and the Baltimore's Services Alliance. This is aimed at allowing PricewaterhouseCoopers to deliver on a global basis best practice solutions in information security, by combining its knowledge and skills with Baltimore's software and hardware products. PricewaterhouseCoopers will also work with Baltimore on referral to provide global consultancy and systems integration. The alliance initially covers PricewaterhouseCoopers's activities across Europe and the Asia Pacific region, although the parties plan to extend it to the US market.

About Baltimore

Baltimore develops and markets security products and services for a wide range of e-commerce and enterprise applications. Its products include Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) systems, cryptographic toolkits, security applications and hardware cryptographic devices.

Baltimore Certificate Authority systems feature a modular, scalable, policy-driven architecture to issue and manage digital certificates for a wide range of applications including email, browsers and virtual private networks. Baltimore PKI-Plus is a developer toolkit to PKI-enable legacy and new applications by providing support for a wide range of cryptographic, directory, smartcard and CA systems. Baltimore's PKI products are available both directly and via global Trusted World partners. All products are supported by professional services comprising of system integration and consulting.

Baltimore was formed by the merger in January 1999 of Zergo Holdings plc and Baltimore Technologies Ltd. It has customers in over forty countries world-wide including some of the world's leading financial, e-commerce, telecommunication companies and government agencies.

Baltimore is the operating name of Zergo Holdings plc, a public company -- listed on the London Stock Exchange (ZGO). Intel Corporation is a minority shareholder in the company. Baltimore operates from 10 cities world-wide with main offices in London, Dublin, Plano (Texas) and Sydney.

Baltimore made e-commerce history in 1998 when President Clinton and Ireland's Prime Minister Ahern digitally signed an inter-governmental communique using security technology provided by Baltimore.

For press information & press releases on Baltimore, please visit http://www.baltimoreinc.com

About PricewaterhouseCoopers

PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.PricewaterhouseCoopersglobal.com), the world's largest professional services organisation, helps its clients build value, manage risk and improve their performance.