pt ons hire , ▁equipment ▁for ▁digital ▁ex changes , ▁known ▁as ▁System ▁X , ▁was ▁developed . ▁P les sey ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁largest ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁digital ▁contract ▁in ▁competition ▁with ▁G EC ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁P les sey ' s ▁work force ▁grew ▁to ▁around ▁ 3 4 , 0 0 0 ▁by ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁the ▁tele communic ations ▁divisions ▁of ▁G EC ▁& ▁P les sey ▁merged ▁to ▁form ▁G EC ▁P les sey ▁Tele communic ations ▁( G PT ) ▁with ▁Clark ▁as ▁chairman . ▁It ▁was , ▁however , ▁not ▁an ▁harm on ious ▁relationship , ▁and ▁it ▁also ▁came ▁under ▁financial ▁criticism ▁from ▁share hold ers . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁G EC ▁announced ▁a ▁new ▁partners hip ▁with ▁the ▁German ▁electron ics ▁group ▁S iem ens ▁to ▁once ▁again ▁bid ▁for ▁P les sey . ▁Clark ▁was ▁out man oe uv red ▁by ▁Arnold ▁We inst ock , ▁Man aging ▁Director ▁of ▁G EC , ▁and ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁Clark ▁agreed ▁a ▁£ 2 ▁billion ▁bid ▁from ▁G EC ▁and ▁S iem ens . ▁By ▁then ▁he ▁had ▁already ▁announced ▁his ▁own ▁intention ▁to ▁step ▁down ▁as ▁chief ▁executive . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁G EC ▁acquired ▁S iem ens ' ▁ 4 0 % ▁st ake ▁in ▁G PT ▁and , ▁in