Sundaram BPO arm forms JV with Dubai firm

Sundaram Business Services (SBS), the business process outsourcing arm of Sundaram Finance, has formed a joint venture with Dubai-based ETA group to get a foothold in the BPO space in the Dubai Outsourcing Zone.

The 40:60 joint venture "� Gulf Outsourcing Services "� will target the BPO markets in the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The JV, set up with an investment of Rs 2 crore, will focus on the financial sector.

Addressing a press conference, Arif Rehman, director (finance), ETA group, said, "While the Gulf region is now positioning itself as a major outsourcing destination, we believe that companies in the region can themselves benefit greatly from outsourcing."

He pointed out that the Gulf companies face serious constraints in hiring the right talent to sustain their rapid growth and maintain quality service.

P S Raghavan, head of SBS, said the new entity will eventually be looking at setting up a business centre in the Dubai Outsourcing Zone. The joint venture is expected to employ about 200 people and make profits in two years.

T T Srinivasaraghavan, managing director, Sundaram Finance, said, "With SBS and Sundaram Infotech well poised for aggressive overseas growth and with a proven delivery capability and track record, we are now actively looking at supplementing these foundations with selective inorganic moves."