Rhyme specialises in helping buy-side investment firms unlock the hidden value of the back-office. Rhyme's customers include Lloyds TSB, Barclays, Jupiter, Rathbone, M&G, Brewin Dolphin and Coutts.

Philip will head up the new department, which is currently being appointed, to extend the service offerings to clients, focusing more on business orientated consulting.

Bob Whigham, director of Rhyme Systems, said: "Philip's appointment highlights our awareness of our clients' needs and more comprehensive demands in new areas. The new department will allow Rhyme to be more hands-on regarding the business element of back office services and provide a more rounded approach to suit client needs. This is in line with our objective to embrace new business areas, such as our recent contract to distribute Delve Reporting with Quasar."

Philip Black, comments: "I am delighted to join Rhyme to establish this new initiative. My main objective over the next 12 months will be to help firms improve operational efficiency and flexibility by implementing workflow systems to manage business processes. Rhyme is now addressing business needs, tackling business processes as well as application functions. Rhyme's workflow offering reduces the need for users to "learn the system" and puts power back in the hands of operations managers."

Philip will join Rhyme in April.