TCS to raise China headcount

Infotech major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is planning to add 4,000-5,000 people in next three to four years for its Chinese operations, that is expected to go onstream in next quarter.

TCS will provide its services to companies in mainland of China and to multinationals functioning out of the country.

"Our Chinese operations are going as per schedule and it is expected to be operational in the next quarter. We will look at services companies in the financial services, mainly into automation of banks and setting up regulatory systems," CEO and managing director S Ramadorai told reporters here today.

The Chinese operation, which is a joint venture between TCS, government of China and US software giant Microsoft Corporation, would employ 400 in the first year, which would be increased to 4,000-5,000 personnel in three to four years, he said.

TCS holds 65 per cent stake in the company, with the remaining split between Microsoft and China. The Tata group company had announced the venture in June last year.

A name is yet to be finalised for the Chinese operations, which would also look at tapping the opportunities arising out of 2008 Beijing Olympics, apart from servicing companies in Korea, Japan and other geographies.

Meanwhile, TCS bagged a Rs 178 crore Core Banking Solution (CBS) project from Bank of Maharashtra (BoM), outbidding a consortium led by Infosys Technologies. TCS will offer BANCS CBS of Sydney-based Financial Network Solutions (FNS), which is a subsidiary of the tata company.

The solution includes China Systems' Eximbills for trade finance, while hardware will be provided by IBM and networking from Bharti Tele-Ventures.

Tata group company CMC Ltd is also a part of the consortium, providing certain services.

According to industry sources, the TCS consortium had outbid the bid submitted by Infosys (with CBS solution), Wipro Technologies (system integrators) and Hewlett-Packard as the hardware vendors. TCS will be conduct the system integration, including redesigning and deploying a bank-wide corporate network.

It will also set up and maintain the data centre, and provide Facilities Management Services to the bank over the next six years.

The scope of the entire project covers over 600 branches, including retail, corporate, trade finance, treasury and delivery channels for internet banking, phone banking and mobile banking.

The company had also recently appointed global branding majors Siegel & Gale to give it a brand presence. In a similar move, TCS had earlier appointed Flieshman & Hillard as its global PR agency.