Aegis BPO to add 12,000 global staff

At a time when the Bangalore versus Buffalo City debate spooks BPO employees in India, Essar Group’s backoffice unit Aegis will augment its workforce by 12,000, summing up the total headcount to 43,000 by end of this financial year.

The company plans to hire 1,000 people every month in India and across United States, Philippines, Costa Rica and Africa where it currently has operations.

“We will be recruiting a thousand people every month, so this year we will add 12,000 to our workforce globally. We have already hired 3,000 people since the beginning of this financial year,” Aegis managing director and Global CEO Aparup Sengupta said.

US President Barack Obama had last month announced end to years of tax incentives to those US companies, which create jobs overseas in places such as Bangalore.

Instead, the incentives would go to those creating jobs inside the US, in places such as the Buffalo city — bordering Canada in upstate New York.
“The Ruias-led company has earmarked a capital expenditure of $30-35 million this year, excluding cost on infrastructure,” he said.

Despite the downturn, Aegis is eyeing a turnover of over $550 million and aims to grow by over 50 per cent in FY10.

“There is still an opportunity for outsourcing. In the next 10 years, domestic business will expand to $50 billion, which is a case for the Indian BPO industry to go after. International BPO business will be another $50-70 billion,” Sengupta said. He said demand will keep up because of changing consumer behaviour, rising discretionary spend and the youth, which does not live frugally.