EIU adds personal touch. Economist Group restructuring will shift focus to demands of its customers, writes Bobby Pickering.(Economist Intelligence Unit)

The Economist Group is planning a company-wide restructure that will see the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) merged with two of its key operations in the Enterprises division - Economist Conferences and Corporate Network.

The restructuring is designed to bring the group's business-tobusiness operations together into a single entity that will integrate customised added value services into its traditional EIU analysis and forecasting business.

Economist Conferences organises round tables, peer group forums and industry meetings in more than 50 countries, and has developed expertise on round tables with government officials in developing countries.

Corporate Network is a fast-growing regional network of executive clubs that offer briefings on critical business developments and opportunities for social interaction.

EIU senior vice president and publishing director, Lou Celi, told IWR that EIU's new mantra is "hi-tech and high touch", allowing it to take advantage of its investment in electronic information delivery - which now splits at almost 80% of revenues, against 20% for print, at EIU.

"Our customers are ...