The province’s effort to make Halifax an important centre for information technology and financial services companies got a significant boost Tuesday.

Citco, one of the world’s largest hedge fund companies, announced Tuesday it will consolidate a large proportion of its technology development operation in Halifax, promising to create 325 new jobs over the next six years.

"Halifax has been on our radar screen since we opened our financial services office there in 2006," Ben Jansen, the company’s president of technology management, said in a telephone interview from New York. "There is a can-do attitude in the city and, with the universities, that seems to fit with our corporate style."

The new positions will range from technical support to software and application development. The work will support Citco’s international operations that have been served through centres in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and India "that are coming to the end of their life cycle," said Mr. Jansen.

The province, through its business development arm Nova Scotia Business Inc., is helping the new operation find its feet by offering a payroll rebate of up to $7 million over six years. The rebate will be invested incrementally as the company achieves hiring targets. The Economic Development Department has also committed $1.47 million to support startup costs and training...

http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1040405.html