GE Capital adds SI to purchases

n Brighton-based reseller, Systems International (SI), has become the latest addition to GE Capital IT Solutions? increasing portfolio of acquisitions. Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but SI, with an annual turnover of about #45 million, will merge with other GE operations to create a #110 million division.

SI?s corporate customers include Amex, Sainsbury?s and Safeway. According to Michael Kianfar, SI MD and founder, no job losses are expected.

Kianfar will join GE?s European management team in Germany, while John Casson, a former Cabletron European director, will join GE as UK MD.

Asked about becoming part of a larger organisation, Kianfar said: ?If you are going to stop playing with your own bat and ball, you should make sure you are playing with a really big bat and a really big ball.?

He said he had rejected six bid approaches, three from the UK, one from Europe and two from the US, in the past year.