Atex becomes partner in FUTUROOM, the Prague based Multimedia News Lab from PPF Media

• Atex chosen to provide advisory and consulting services to Futuroom, a project designed to further the publishing industry in Central & Eastern Europe.
• Atex technology will be deployed in the provision of a real-life newsroom environment for training purposes.

Reading, UK - Atex, the world’s largest and longest serving provider of print and digital solutions for media companies, announces that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PPF Media, a Prague-based division of PPF Group, to provide advisory and consulting support services in print and multimedia training for Central and Eastern Europe.

Within the framework of PPF’s FUTUROOM, the Prague Multimedia News Lab, Atex will supply training versions of its Content Management System, as well as serving in an advisory capacity for FUTUROOM seminars, conferences and other training programs. Atex’s software will be used to create a real-life newsroom example for FUTUROOM applications to be published online or in print.

“Atex is pleased to become a strategic partner, along with the World Association of Newspapers, in such a unique project aimed at training and education in the area of modern media,” said John Hawkins, Group CEO at Atex. “As a long-time supplier to the global media industry and an existing partner to WAN’s ‘Shaping the Future of the Newspaper’ project, we bring a host of expertise and best practices that can contribute positively to the development of the publishing industry in Central and Eastern Europe. Our participation in FUTUROOM training programmes reinforces our commitment to the region and contributes to Atex’s leading market position as we have a lot to offer to media practitioners, public authorities and NGOs.”

Roman Gallo, PPF director for media strategies, adds: “We are delighted to announce that Atex will join the pool of FUTUROOM partners, alongside the World Association of Newspapers. We are proud to attract such a partner with the most advanced technical and software solutions for editorial systems and digital content management to be used in our training programmes. Atex’s involvement will bring added value to the FUTUROOM project, which, we hope, will attract the interest of a broad range of people dealing with media, including both print and online.”

About PPF

PPF Group is an international financial and investment group, which operates in consumer finance, retail banking, private equity and real estate. PPF Group actively seeks investment opportunities and undertakes investments in developing markets of the Central and Eastern Europe and Asia. During its 18 years in business, PPF Group has become a leading international financial investor, managing assets of over EUR 8 billion as at June 30, 2008.