SiteSmith Announces Second Phase of European Expansion; Company Appoints Managing Directors for...

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10, 2001

SiteSmith, Inc., a leading provider of Internet infrastructure managed services, today announced the second phase of its European expansion with the opening of full service operations in France,

Germany and the Netherlands. The company also announced the appointment of Robert Chidiac (France), Dr. Robert Philipp (Germany), Pim Berger (Netherlands) and John Dowbiggin (United Kingdom) as managing directors of their respective country operations as well as Gerrit van Munster, vice president of human resources for SiteSmith EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa).

In less than fifteen months, SiteSmith has built a worldwide operation to support the increasing demand by Global 2000 companies for outsourced Internet infrastructure managed services. As of January 2001, the company has more than 460 employees and fifteen offices worldwide. Additionally, it has worked with more than 170 customers including About.com, Booz Allen & Hamilton, Brooks Brothers and BP Amoco.

"We are pleased to have five veterans of successful Internet service and technology companies join the SiteSmith team," said David Winn, president of SiteSmith EMEA. "Their deep knowledge of their respective local markets combined with their ability to grow high tech businesses will help SiteSmith rapidly expand its European business."

About SiteSmith EMEA Managing Directors

Robert Chidiac, managing director of SiteSmith France, has more than 16 years of experience in business development both at national and international levels with companies such as AT&T and Lucent Technologies. Chidiac most recently served as managing director and vice president of sales for MobActiv, a spinoff of France Telecom, where he doubled the size of the company and more than doubled revenue. While at AT&T, Chidiac held various sales and operations positions in France and in the U.S. Most notably, he held the position of director of Strategic and Operational Affairs alongside the CEO for EMEA. At Lucent, Chidiac was the managing director of the French subsidiary in charge of manufacturing PBXs for the EMEA market. Chidiac received a master's degree in electrical engineering in France and a MBA from Columbia University in New York, U.S.

Dr. Robert Philipp, managing director of SiteSmith Germany, joins the company from Cluster Consulting, an IT and telecommunications consulting firm, where he was responsible for the launch and development of the company's German subsidiary. In addition to his management responsibilities, Philipp focused on strategic consulting for the telecommunications industry as well as on Internet-related implementations. Philipp started his career in consulting with Booz Allen & Hamilton in the Communications, Media and Technology business unit focusing on telecommunications and financial service industries. After eight years with Booz Allen & Hamilton, he joined Technology Solutions Company, a leading e-business consulting integration firm where he was a senior vice president focusing on management consulting and system integrations in the area of customer care (eCRM). Prior to his consulting career, Philipp was in the academic field researching, teaching and lecturing on computer science. Philipp holds a master's degree in business administration and a doctorate in business studies from the University of Fribourg, and a MBA from Insead, Fountainebleau.