City & Guilds acquires Kineo Pacific
City & Guilds has acquired Kineo Pacific, a company based in New Zealand which partners with employers to help them improve performance through learning and technology. This follows City & Guilds’ acquisition of Kineo in December 2012, which was recently re-launched as City & Guilds Kineo in September 2013..
Chris Jones, CEO and Director General of City & Guilds Group said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Kineo Pacific to the City & Guilds Group, as it expands our ability to help employers develop skills through learning and technology in the Asia/Pacific region. Not only does it further strengthen our ability to innovate in learning technology, it also provides City & Guilds Kineo with a strong platform to support multi-national employers, with operational and support teams in America, Europe and Asia/Pacific.’
Kineo Pacific is the trading name of Flexible Learning Network Ltd., which became a Kineo franchise in 2010. As the originator of Mahara, the well-known open source e-portfolio project, the company has a strong track record in learning technology and elearning.
Steve Rayson, Managing Director of City & Guilds Kineo said: ‘Since joining the City & Guilds Group last year, we have been dedicated to building a world-class offer for global employers which combines 135 years of quality in learning with award-winning customer service and innovation.
‘City & Guilds Kineo designs award-winning learning solutions that reduce costs, improve performance and deliver results for businesses world-wide. By acquiring Kineo Pacific, we are now able to offer a full range of global services to our clients with sales, development and support services across three continents. This will result in even better service for our current and future customers.’
Since 2012, Kineo Pacific has expanded to include offices in Melbourne and Canberra in Australia. Kineo Pacific’s clients include prestigious banks such as ANZ and ASB as well as long-standing relationships in key public sector areas such as New Zealand’s Defence and Treasury Departments and the World Health Organisation, where accuracy and timely delivery of training is critical.
Nolen Smith, Managing Director of Kineo Pacific, said: ‘Kineo Pacific is excited to join the City & Guilds Group. Our long-standing relationship with Kineo makes this a logical next step to provide an even better service to our customers in the Asia Pacific region.’
Kineo Pacific will be part of the City & Guilds Kineo business unit, but continue to trade under its current name.
For more information please contact:
Christine Richardson, City & Guilds
T: 0207 294 8054 / 07717 779781
E: [email protected]