Whitbread, the UK's largest hotel and restaurant company, has signed a five year contract with Steria, the European IT enabled business services company. The contract, which will be going live in early 2009, will see Steria provide a finance and accounting (F&A) service which is delivered from its offshore locations.

Andy Pellington, Whitbread finance director, said, "This signifies an important step in Whitbread PLC's ongoing organisational review.”

John Torrie, CEO of Steria UK, commented, "We are delighted to be working with Whitbread PLC.”