The World Bank Selects WBT Systems to Power its Enterprise Learning Initiative

Dublin, Ireland – February 15th, 2005 – WBT Systems, a global leader in enterprise e-learning solutions today announced that the World Bank has selected its TopClass e-Learning Suite to manage, develop and deliver training to an audience of 36,000, including its 10,000 employees as well as client organizations around the world. This major deployment is part of a larger effort to integrate knowledge and learning in the Bank into a single point of access through the Knowledge and Learning Environment (KLE) project.

The World Bank is a specialized agency of the United Nations and is made up of 184 member countries. It is one of the world’s largest sources of development assistance, supporting the efforts of developing country governments to build schools and health centers, provide water and electricity, fight disease, and protect the environment. Some 10,000 development professionals from nearly every country in the world work in the World Bank’s Washington DC headquarters or in its 109 country offices.

Commenting on the new initiative, Phyllis Pomerantz, Chief Learning Officer at the World Bank in Washington noted “e-learning is an important building block to continuously leverage the World Bank’s effectiveness in the fight against poverty”.

TopClass will be used to link learning activities to annual learning plans and learning roadmaps, based on the Bank’s business and strategic objectives. Declan Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of WBT Systems welcomed the new deal, “The selection of WBT Systems and TopClass by an organization as prestigious as the World Bank is testament to the quality of our solutions and our vertical focus on the financial services sector. We are delighted to be associated with such an innovative global learning initiative.”

About the World Bank
The World Bank helps governments in developing countries reduce poverty by providing them with the money and technical expertise they need for a wide range of projects – such as building schools, roads or water wells – and reform of government services. The World Bank is not a “bank” in the common sense. It is one of the United Nations’ specialized agencies, and is made up of 184 member countries. These countries are jointly responsible for how the institution is financed and how its money is spent. Along with the rest of the development community, the World Bank centers its efforts on the reaching the Millennium Development Goals, agreed to by UN members in 2000 and aimed at sustainable poverty reduction. The “World Bank” is the name that has come to be used for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Together these organizations provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit, and grants to developing countries. Some 10,000 development professionals from nearly every country in the world work in the World Bank’s Washington DC headquarters or in its 109 country offices.

About WBT Systems
WBT Systems is one of the leading providers of intelligent learning solutions across the globe. Its solutions help organizations to address the business issues that are imperative to success in an increasingly competitive world. Best of breed solutions include mitigating risk and reducing costs by implementing advanced, robust compliance tracking solutions and driving top-line performance through enabling sales and customer services channels. WBT’s implementation experience spans a variety of industries, including financial services, healthcare, government, and pharmaceuticals in blue-chip companies such as ABB, AHIMA, Alexander Forbes, Basler Insurance, Belgacom, Clinphone, Credit Suisse, Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, Diageo, Dow Chemical, Eurocontrol, Husqvarna, Innovatia, Liberty Group, Ryanair, Smith & Nephew, Valero and Volvo CE. WBT Systems is recognised as a leader in both the e-Learning Suite and LMS Magic Quadrant Reports by the Gartner Group. Established in 1995, WBT Systems is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with offices in the US, Canada, UK, Germany and the Netherlands. For more information, see

www.wbtsystems.com