Unisys and Cognizant to add 10,500 more to their India outsourcing workforce

IT services major Cognizant Technology Solutions, today said it would hire 6500 people in the next nine months and announced that its Chinese centre would start operations in April. Addressing a news conference here, Lakshmi Narayanan, President and CEO, Cognizant, said the company planned to add 7,200 employees in the 2005 calender year, of which 85 per cent would be employed at its software development centres in India. "During the first two-and-a-half months of this calender, we have hired 700 people. In the remaining months, we will add another 6,500 people," he said, adding that the total employee strength of the company would exceed 22,500 by December 31, 2005. In 2004, Cognizant hired 6000 people. On the Chinese operations, Narayanan said the company's new development centre at Shanghai would commence operations next month. About six Chinese persons are currently undergoing training in Cognizant's Chennai office. Narayanan said about 25 local people would manage the facility. In 2007-08, Cognizant would consider ramping up its operations in China, he said. On the revenue front, he said Cognizant was aiming at USD 845 million for the 2005 calender, a growth of 44 per cent compared to 2004.
American IT services and product firm Unisys Corporation plans to ramp up its India workforce, including with its partners, to 4,500 by 2008, up from the existing 1,150 professionals, Unisys officials said on Monday. "Unisys has sourced globally for more than 25 years. Our current expansion in India is an extension of this strategy and is integral to growing our global capabilities," Unisys Chairman Lawrence A Weinbach said at the launch of its 1,000 seat new building in the city. Unisys outsources software work with four Indian partners - Hexaware, Caritor, NIIT and Tata Infotech - who jointly employ about 1,000 people. "The partners will add 1,000 more people while we will hire 1,000 more people in 2005," Unisys India Managing Director Mukul Agrawal said. He said Unisys has a roadmap to reach a strength of 4,500 people by 2008, which includes 2,500 people at its captive centre. "India offers lower cost of operations and there is a demand from our clients to move work to offshore locations," Unisys Global Sourcing Vice President Cal Killen said. Unisys last April said it would invest $180 million (Rs 810 crore) in India till 2008 and it has spent $10 million on the new facility, officials said. Unisys India will provide end-to-end IT services for its global customers, besides technical help desk support, BPO and IT sourcing.

Source : Media Release Compiled by : Abijith I P