Pink Elephant (http://www.pinkelephant.com) today announced that two of its IT service management experts were named within a select list of worldwide IT experts to author the next version of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). The new set of best practice books, regarded as the most credible framework for IT service management, will be published in late 2006.

The Office of Government Commerce (OGC), the UK-based government agency that owns ITIL and is leading the refresh project, chose George Spalding and Gary Case to exclusively write about continual service improvement, one of five volumes in ITIL version three.

"After being involved in the ITIL project since its inception in the late 1980's, we are thrilled to have been selected to help steer its future development," says David Ratcliffe, President, Pink Elephant. "We look forward to offering our knowledge on how organizations can continually improve their IT service management operation."

"OGC expects to refresh ITIL every three to five years, to ensure it remains fit for purpose and reflects the needs of our users, especially in the UK public sector. In an open competition conducted by OGC's publishing partner TSO, authors were selected from many global bids based on their knowledge of the subject, their track record, professional standing within their own fields, and their ability to write well," said Jim Clinch, ITIL Products Manager at OGC. "We welcome George Spalding and Gary Case of Pink Elephant to an esteemed group of ten authors for the forthcoming ITIL release."

Mr. Spalding and Mr. Case have led and managed extensive IT service improvement initiatives in global companies and public entities over the past twenty years. They are seasoned ITIL educators, consultants and writers, accomplished speakers at major IT conferences, and hold top industry certifications including the ITIL Service Manager.

For more information on the OGC's ITIL refresh project, please visit http://www.itil.co.uk.

About Pink Elephant
Pink Elephant is the world leader in IT management best practices, offering conference, education and consulting services to public and private businesses globally, and many listed in the Fortune 500. The Company specializes in improving the quality of IT services through the application of recognized frameworks, including the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). For more information, please visit http://www.pinkelephant.com.

ITIL® is a Registered Trade Mark and a Registered Community Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce, and is Registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.