As if proof were needed that it is serious about the games industry, BCE Holdings Plc has raised ú2.3m before expenses in a private placing and reshuffled its board prior to becoming a totally focussed multimedia games company. It is looking for a buyer for its arcade and snooker equipment businesses. The company issued 10.9m shares at 20.75 pence each. It has appointed Frank Herman to the board, currently chairman of Doom publishers GT Interactive Software (Europe), a former deputy chairman of Sega Enterprises Ltd in Europe and chairman of Probe Entertainment Ltd, which was sold to Acclaim Entertainment Inc last year (CI No 2,769). The managing directors of Rage Software Ltd and Software Creations Ltd, which comprised the old multimedia division, Paul Finnegan and Richard Kay, have been appointed as joint managing directors of the group, taking over from Robin Jones, who along with Barry Adams has sold his 3m shares and left to pursue other interests. Bristol-based BCE is a member of Nintendo of America Inc’s so-called Dream Team of developers writing for its Ultra 64 system, and also intends to produce further games for personal computers and multi-player games across the Internet. Chairman John Roberts and finance director Lesley Davey continue in their roles.
