CGI expands North West presence with new Liverpool office
International business services firm CGI has launched a new office in Liverpool, as it looks to better support clients and their communities across the North West of England. The office will ultimately host 70 CGI members, and primarily focus on supporting the UK Government’s Disclosure and Barring Service.
The fifth largest independent information technology and business process services firm in the world, CGI originated in Canada in 1976. The firm now hosts approximately 77,500 professionals worldwide, serving thousands of global clients from offices and delivery centres across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. With its British headquarters in London, CGI also has a growing presence in the North West of England, as the region grows its stature as a technology hub, amid the Northern Powerhouse project.
Earlier in 2019, CGI took its tally of offices across the UK to 20, with the launch of a new presence at the former Soapworks in Salford. Now, the firm has announced it has made another addition to its British presence with the launch of its Liverpool offices. Located in the South Edward Pavilion, by the Albert Docks, it will initially host 70 CGI members, many of whom will be supporting the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) by providing IT services. DBS helps employers make safer recruitment decisions by processing and issuing background checks for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Gary Blanchard from DBS said of the news, “We are pleased to be working with CGI who will be providing important IT services to support our safeguarding function. The opening of their new Liverpool office shows their commitment both to working with DBS, and to the local area. We are looking forward to working with our new colleagues.”
The development comes as part of CGI’s long-term investment plans for Northern England, further boosting CGI’s client proximity operating model, which focuses on helping the communities in which its members and clients live and work. As a member of the Canal & River Trust Corporate Membership Programme, arrangements are being made for CGI to organise five volunteering days in 2020, with one or more in Liverpool itself. This will see CGI join forces with local charity, the Royal Albert Dock Charitable Foundation, whose work is focused on the education of children and young people in the area.
“Opening a Liverpool office is part of our bigger plan to drive growth and investment in northern England and the North West in particular, following the opening of our office in Salford earlier this year” said Tara McGeehan, President of CGI’s UK and Australia Operations. “The North West and the Liverpool region is home to many talented individuals and we are excited about the potential of welcoming them to the CGI team.”
The opening ceremony for the locale was held in late November, and attended by CGI’s Vice President for Central Government Michael Herron, as well as dignitaries from local organisations. This included the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce which CGI is now a strategic partner of, were also at the event.
