A major US company planning to set up its European headquarters in York today exclusively revealed to Business Press its employment plans for the city.

By May Total System Services Inc (TSYS) of Columbus, Georgia, a global payment card processor with more than 193 million accounts on file, will have begun the first phase of its UK operations.

Namely, a 55-strong team in the sleek 41,000 sq ft four storey headquarters of the Shepherd Building Group at Fulford Moor House in York which it bought for untold millions for use as a UK customer services centre.

The company also plans to employ 25 more people at a data centre in Harrogate and ten at an office in Uxbridge, Middlesex.

It is understood that up to 20 of its US staff will fly in to take up posts in the UK, a dozen of whom will be based at York's Fulford Moor House, which cost £4.4 million to build when Princess Margaret opened it five years ago.

Recruiting will begin shortly for the remaining 43 jobs needed at York - mostly people with banking and accountancy experience who are used to corporate transactions.

But given the enormity of Fulford Moor House, recruitment could eventually run into hundreds.

Shepherd Building Group announced in June that it planned to move out of Fulford Moor House and into new premises to be built in the grounds to accommodate head office staff which had dwindled from 200 to 75 through gradual job cuts and transfers.

Meanwhile Shepherd people have moved into the north wing to make way for the Total System Services pioneers to occupy the remainder of the building.