PISCES and OSCRE Americas in merger talks
PISCES Ltd (Property Information Systems Common Exchange Standard) and OSCRE Americas Inc (Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate) have formed a joint task force to consider the merger of the two leading real estate standards organisations into a single consortium named OSCRE International.
Since 2004 the two organisations have been working closely together in Europe and
The new organisation is planned to be a not-for-profit, international, standards organisation leading the development of standards for real estate commerce and real property operations and is expected to be in place as of 1 January 2010. PISCES and OSCRE Americas members will automatically transfer to OSCRE International and receive its benefits.
PISCES and OSCRE have formed a transitional board made up of three directors from the executive membership of each organisation and overseen by an independent chair. The board will call upon further volunteers from the membership to assist with business planning.
Stephen Spooner, chairman of PISCES and transitional board representative commented: “Our intention has always been to serve the whole real estate industry, which is as global as it is local.
“Now more than ever we must enable the improvements in efficiency and transparency that are required with an absolute clarity of purpose. Our membership needs to know that standards will be consistent wherever they are doing business and a single organisation is the only way to meet that need.”
Bruce Kellogg, chair of OSCRE Americas, stated: “ The merger of PISCES and OSCRE Americas would be a step forward for these two organisations that have already been affiliated for several years, but it is an even greater step forward for data standards overall.
“Our main mission to create an efficient workplace is met in every way through this initiative. With the impending completion of this process, we will truly see the globalisation of real estate and the benefits that will be derived.”
