Wragge & Co advises BP on major international IT deal

Wragge & Co's IT team has advised BP on a cross-border IT deal. The global energy company is streamlining its 540 hardware and software suppliers in the US and Europe to only two, delivering significant savings.

Under a new five-year agreement, Computacenter will supply software licences, computer equipment and maintenance to BP across Europe. CompuCom will perform a similar role in the US.

Director Mark Henley led the Wragge & Co team, supported by partner Sally Mewies, associate Richard Smith and solicitor Jocelyn Paulley. They worked closely with BP's procurement team and an in-house lawyer.

Mark Henley said: "The deal is strategically important to BP as it focuses on simplifying its global supply chain. Our expertise and deep understanding of the IT sector ensured we provided commercially-sound and timely legal advice throughout a tender process conducted to an aggressive timetable."

Appointed to BP's legal panel in 2004, Wragge & Co has since acted on a range of significant deals, including BP's US $400 million biofuels investment deal with Associated British Foods and DuPont. The firm also advised BP Oil UK on its multi-site fuel agreement with Moto Hospitality, the UK's largest operator of motorway service stations.

With technical skills and a strong sector focus, Wragge & Co's seven-partner IT practice includes IT dispute resolution specialists and provides commercial solutions to IT suppliers and users. It advises financial services, life sciences, local and central government, utilities, retail and aviation clients on complex IT and business process outsourcing.