HDI expands global reach with new operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa

HDI's parent company, Think Service, Inc. has established Think Service Europe BV. In addition, HDI has established a presence in Dubai, UAE to manage the Middle East and Africa with offices in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. With these latest developments, HDI expands its global family of associations to include operations in North America (HDI's global headquarters in the US), South America (HDI Brazil), Europe (Think Service Europe BV), Asia (HDI Japan), Australia (Help Desk Association Australia), the Middle East and Africa (HDI MEA).

Under the terms of the new partnership agreement, HDI will achieve exclusive representation for all HDI-related products and services in the Middle East and Africa. HDI-MEA will establish a membership association and provide HDI Certification training to IT service and support professionals, as well as offer the HDI Support Center Certification program and audit process. In addition, HDI-MEA will develop an HDI Annual Conference and Expo in the region. The new European HDI office will open in Amsterdam in the second quarter of 2006, and will be headed by HDI's executive director of international development, Richard Baucom.

In addition, HDI has expanded its ability to provide HDI Certification testing around the globe through a new agreement with Pearson VUE (http://www.pearsonvue.com/). Pearson VUE is the global leader in electronic testing services for academic admissions, certification and licensure programs. The company offers exams through the world's largest network of more than 4,000 test centers in 145 countries, providing testing services for IT, regulatory and certification boards, academic, government and corporate clients. Pearson VUE now offers HDI Certification testing in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.

"We are delighted to be able to bring the valuable resources HDI provides to help desk and IT service and support professionals to the Middle East and Africa. The service and support industry is quickly expanding in this part of the world, and we are proud to be able to offer HDI-related education and certification to this region,"

said Moustafa Kadous, president and CEO, HDI MEA.

"As the global community of HDI grows, so does our knowledge and understanding of the support industry, reaching across cultural and geographic boundaries," said Richard Baucom, executive director of international development, HDI. "We're excited and passionate about enabling global communities to come together and learn from one another."

"Through our new European and Middle East offices and the new global agreement with Pearson VUE, HDI continues to meet its mission of leading and promoting the industry and empowering the IT support profession on a global scale, with industry publications and reports, events and forums and the most internationally recognized, standards-based industry certification and training programs in the world," said Ron Muns, founder and CEO, HDI.