Ebeon, the Irish e-business implementations company, has secured its largest contract to date - a $2.5 million (€2.7 million), seven-month deal with Internet banking group, Enba. Ebeon has allocated 18 of its staff to the project, which involves the development of Enba's factor-e financial services software for the French online banking market. Ebeon's team will provide Java engineers with specialised security skills. The project is due for completion by around October.

Mr Bill Donoghue, chief executive officer of Ebeon, said the company was still on course for a public listing early next year. He rejected recent media suggestions that Ebeon would be included in any sell-off of Eircom's Internet ventures. Ebeon is 51 per cent owned by Eircom.

"We have had no discussions with Eircom about selling the company. I believe it would very much undervalue the business if it were lumped in with Eircom's other media companies, and I think that would also be Eircom's view," Mr Donoghue said.

Ebeon has recently made a number of high-profile appointments, which have yet to be officially announced.

Mr Mark Henry, co-founder and former senior research consultant with Amarach Consulting, will join Ebeon as head of planning and research later this month.

Ms Tara O'Sullivan has been appointed vice-president of marketing. She joins the company from Esat Telecom where she was formerly marketing director.

Ebeon recently secured the contract to provide the infrastructure and framework for CNBC's European golf portal. The contract is estimated to be valued at around $2 million.