Warm Welcome For NYSE Euronext Expansion In Belfast

This latest expansion will create 75 new jobs bringing total employment at Wombat's European development center in Belfast to almost 200 by 2010. Invest Northern Ireland has offered £945,000 ($1.9m) of support towards the project which will deliver an additional £3.1million annually in wages and salaries, and was instrumental in securing the initial investment by Wombat in 2005.

Speaking at Blackstaff Studios the First Minister said: "This week, we have an opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland as an investment location to some of the world's most prestigious companies.

"It is extremely appropriate therefore that this morning, an agreement has been signed which will lead to Wombat expanding its European software development center in Belfast. We were pleased to visit the New York Stock Exchange and meet Duncan on his first day as CEO last year, and I am delighted that he has joined us today as a friend and once again as an investor in Northern Ireland and our people."

The deputy First Minister added: "With this third investment, Wombat is sending out a clear vote of confidence in our talented people and the potential they offer firms in growth sectors such as ICT.

"I hope that as delegates return home to the US, they will be taking with them a more positive image of this region, one which is attracting investment and reinvestment from some of the world's highest profile companies."

Duncan Niederauer, CEO of NYSE Euronext added: "With the addition of Wombat to the NYSE Euronext family in March 2008, we immediately recognized the value that the Belfast center would contribute to our business and customers, both in Europe and globally.

"I continue to be impressed with the levels of skills possessed by local software developers and engineers. Combined with the ongoing support of Invest NI, I am confident that Northern Ireland will continue to deliver the competitive edge we require to meet increasing global demand for our innovative technology products and services. We seek to be an employer of choice and to attract the best and brightest professionals."

Wombat, a member of NYSE Euronext Advanced Trading Solutions, specializes in the development of advanced software solutions for global financial markets. Wombat's products are used to transmit stock exchange data around financial institutions at high speed so that rapid trading decisions can be made.