IBM Acquires Schlumberger Services Unit

Enterprise Networks & Servers, May 2004

IBM is buying the Business Continuity Services unit of Schlumberger, which has operations in Europe and the U.S.

SBCS offers business continuity services to many major financial institutions, government bodies and international corporations and has more than 40 modern recovery sites worldwide, among them the largest business recovery site in Europe. Under the acquisition, IBM will add more than 10,000 recovery seats configured as financial trading rooms, call centers and workplaces.

"Schlumberger Business Continuity Services will complement and expand IBM's global business continuity capabilities," said Philippe Jarre, vice president, Business Continuity and Resiliency Services, IBM Europe, Middle East, Africa. "As companies' business processes have grown increasingly dependent on IT, clients look for integrated business continuity solutions that cover the full range from data centers via applications to business processes. With more than 40 years of experience in the business continuity and disaster recovery industry, IBM offers a one-stop shop for business continuity and recovery services across most multi-vendor platforms."

Schlumberger Business Continuity Services, headquartered in London, has longterm contracts with more than 750 clients around the world. IBM intends to combine Schlumberger Business Continuity Services' sales organization and employees into one dedicated organization within IBM Global Services. More than 260 SBCS employees are expected to transfer to IBM.