News round-up gives readers an at-a-glance overview of this month’s direct marketing news.

Mitre, Europe’s leading teleservicing agency which owns The Decisions Group, Merit Direct, The Call Centre and Merit Communications, has merged with Sitel, the US-based telemarketing operation. Following the transaction, valued at about 208m, Sitel becomes the largest provider of global teleservices with over 5,700 workstations.

Following the recruitment of John Menzies to the Smart membership programme, Shell has added its 850 convenience outlets as another location for its cardholders to collect points. Now the 3.5 million Smart cardholders will be able to collect Smart points or Air Miles at Shell Select shops nationwide.

HLB List Broking has appointed Sue Glass as head of list management services. Glass joins from CMT Direct Marketing and will be responsible for directing the development of the portfolio of 45 managed consumer lists.

Annual direct mail volume is expected to

reach 3 billion mailshots for the first time, according to Direct Mail Information Service figures.