02 - 06 - 2000. Reed Elsevier plc announced today that NEXIS, its business and government information solutions business, has acquired RiskWise International LLC, the holding company for RiskWise, PeopleWise, and the National Fraud Centre, for approximately $90 million. The three risk management solution companies will operate, along with NEXIS' public records business, as NEXIS RiskWise, a division of NEXIS. The combined businesses will hold a leadership position in the rapidly growing market for public records products and services.

Bill Pardue, president and chief executive officer of NEXIS said. "RiskWise makes an excellent strategic acquisition for NEXIS and significantly expands our fast growing public records business in the high growth e-commerce markets. The markets we are serving are experiencing a tremendous expansion of online transactions. NEXIS RiskWise will make e-commerce safer, faster, and easier."

NEXIS RiskWise offers customers a complete range of online information decision tools, including fraud-detection, risk management, modeling, scoring, and investigative services. Customers using the combined resources of the companies can augment RiskWise International's identity verification and fraud-risk solutions with the vast NEXIS database and precision search technologies. Currently RiskWise International provides solutions for AT&T;, Dell, UPS, Disney, Ford Motor Credit, Sprint and American Express, among others. It has a growth rate of over 100 per cent per annum.

NEXIS RiskWise will operate as a separate unit under the direction of RiskWise president and chief executive officer, Brad Oates. NEXIS RiskWise will be responsible for the company's risk management services and products, including public records. The new unit will utilise NEXIS' sales, customer service, and marketing talent. While NEXIS will continue to serve its legal, research and journalist markets, it is expanding to provide reliable and timely information to professionals in such fields as human resources, private investigation, sales, construction, public relations and risk management.

NEXIS and RiskWise make ideal partners, according to Oates. "NEXIS has 20 years of online information experience, the world's most comprehensive database, and a world class sales force," Oates said. "The RiskWise companies have the analytical expertise and knowledge base across business and vertical markets. Together, we will provide our customers with the best authentication tools, as well as a full range of risk management products and services."