Problem: We need to find £4 million to buy numbers on a screen

Solution: CCL delivers the whole package for a fixed monthly amount

Financing one of the most advanced trading systems in the world

Easdaq is an electronic stock market, based in Belgium and trading shares across Europe, independently from any national market. Since its establishment in 1996, Easdaq has been the only stock market oper-ating on a truly pan-European basis, with a unified structure infra-structure including a single rule book, a single membership, a dedicat-ed trading platform, and seamless cross-border trading and settlement. In March 2001, Nasdaq, the US electronic stock market, acquired a majority ownership of Easdaq. Easdaq is now being restructured into a globally linked, pan-European market called Nasdaq Europe.

Prior to the acquisition, Easdaq had identified the need to develop and implement an electronic trading system to replace its outdated telephone-based system. The new ETS will create a sophisticated IT and telecommunications network, capable of transmitting critical investment data at lightning speed to more than 350 000 computer screens around the world, linking buyers and sellers in real time. The solution that Easdaq specified included hardware, software and services, and cost £4 million. CCL has financed the system, which was officially launched on 8 June 2001.

CCL: Rental Specialists
Johan De Lille, Executive VP Chief Financial Officer, investigated a number of alternative methods for financing the project. Of the four finance providers that Easdaq shortlisted, only CCL specialised in software solution rental. "Rental helped us in our cash management because the monthly amounts were fixed and freed up cash for other uses as the costs were spread over time."

CCL: IT Specialists
Furthermore, he found CCL's IT specialism a key benefit, allowing Easdaq to buy the whole package of hardware, software and services. Additionally, "CCL gave good advice and had contacts with all the right parties necessary for the project."

CCL: Professional People
Johan de Lille characterised Easdaq's relationship with CCL as very good, "we are very happy with the help we have received from CCL... professional behaviour, professional people. If you recommend professional people to others you never make a mistake."