A SOFTWARE company is celebrating its 25th anniversary with an injection of new management.

Worcester-based BDE Group has merged its customer development and new business sales teams.

The new, combined team will be headed by David Perkin, the new sales manager.

The team will operate from the firm's head office, on Blackpole Trading Estate West, where 35 people are employed.

Managing director Peter Reynolds said the group was one of Britain's top SAGE Line 200 and Line 500 financial, distribution and manufacturing software business partners.

He said changes to the management structure at BDE, effective from the start of the financial year, were designed to promote a greater clarity of corporate focus and enhanced customer service.

"We have asked David to consolidate the existing business practices ahead of a concerted drive towards sustainable growth in 2003," said Mr Reynolds.

"David has been with the business for over 15 years, from the early days as a salesman in the IBS Organisation in Leeds, prior to its acquisition by BDE in 1998."

Darren Tolley has been appointed as marketing manager.

"Darren has a specific brief to generate greater awareness within the SAGE community of the software applications and services we have steadfastly built up over the 17 years of trading as a SAGE Enterprise Solutions business partner," said Mr Reynolds.

"With over 250 Enterprise and related product sites in the UK and mainland Europe, we view this as a hugely important strategic move. Darren has been with the business over 13 years."

BDE has had offices in Worcester since the company started in 1978, first in St George's Square, and then in Barbourne Road, before moving to Blackpole.

As well as the Worcester head office, the company has offices in Leeds and Bristol, employing a further 20 people.

The company consults businesses to assess their system requirements, then recommends an appropriate solution, working in partnership to help install the solution to the best advantage of the customer.