SINGAPORE, Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- FICO (NYSE:FICO), the leading provider of analytics and decision management technology, today announced the appointment of John Chen as managing director of China. He previously served as the company's head of sales in China, and has been the acting managing director for the past six months.

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Mr. Chen joined FICO in 2000 as an analyst in the United States, where he was instrumental in the development of FICO's advanced optimization methodology. He relocated to China in 2004 as the analytic presales director for Asia Pacific, and helped to open the FICO China office in early 2007. Mr. Chen has taken on increasing levels of responsibility ever since, and has played a critical role in bringing FICO solutions to many leading companies in China, including 10 top banks.

"John has a well-deserved reputation as an innovative analytic practitioner and valued thought leader in the Chinese financial services industry," said Dan McConaghy, president, FICO Asia Pacific. "He will lead our team in providing global best practices and innovative analytic solutions that help our clients grow profitably and sustainably amidst global economic uncertainty."

"We're committed to being a trusted advisor to our clients, from the major banks that we work with in China today, to the smaller banks and insurers we're beginning to serve," said Chen. "Chinese companies need the latest and best analytic solutions to apply sharper forecasts of consumer behavior and improve business decisions. This is what we do. FICO gives banks, insurance companies and other organizations an analytic advantage, which will prove even more important for 2012 as financial services institutions struggle with global economic uncertainty and regulatory change."

In addition to his long tenure with FICO, Chen has authored two books on credit in China, Credit Scoring and Modern Credit Card Management. He holds a master's degree in economics from Washington University and a bachelor's degree in economics from Beijing University.

About FICO

FICO (NYSE:FICO) delivers superior predictive analytics solutions that drive smarter decisions. The company's groundbreaking use of mathematics to predict consumer behavior has transformed entire industries and revolutionized the way risk is managed and products are marketed. FICO's innovative solutions include the FICO® Score -- the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the United States -- along with industry-leading solutions for managing credit accounts, identifying and minimizing the impact of fraud, and customizing consumer offers with pinpoint accuracy. Most of the world's top banks, as well as leading insurers, retailers, pharmaceutical companies and government agencies, rely on FICO solutions to accelerate growth, control risk, boost profits and meet regulatory and competitive demands. FICO also helps millions of individuals manage their personal credit health through www.myFICO.com. Learn more at www.fico.com. FICO: Make every decision count(TM).

Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Information

Except for historical information contained herein, the statements contained in this news release that relate to FICO or its business are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the success of the Company's Decision Management strategy and reengineering plan, the maintenance of its existing relationships and ability to create new relationships with customers and key alliance partners, its ability to continue to develop new and enhanced products and services, its ability to recruit and retain key technical and managerial personnel, competition, regulatory changes applicable to the use of consumer credit and other data, the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of any acquisitions, continuing material adverse developments in global economic conditions, and other risks described from time to time in FICO's SEC reports, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2011. If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes, FICO's results could differ materially from its expectations. FICO disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

FICO and "Make every decision count" are trademarks of Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and other countries.

SOURCE FICO