By Neena Bhandari, IANS,
Sydney : India based global integrated technology and operations company iGATE Global Solutions Limited’s new US$ 2 million information and technology facility began its operations Friday in the picturesque and affluent Australian gold mining city of Ballarat.
Ballarat, only 70 minutes drive from Melbourne, has not only been seeking Indian students and migrants, but also investment from Indian companies.
The new facility, which will create 40 new jobs for local professionals with job numbers expected to grow over the next three years, will focus on servicing Australian financial services and government clients, including the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA), a statutory authority of the Government of Victoria.
Officially opening the IGATE centre in Ballarat’s Wendouree area Friday, Information and Communication Technology Minister Theo Theophanous said: “The decision by iGATE Global Solutions to base its national operations centre in Ballarat is a vote of confidence for ICT in the region and testament to Victoria’s reputation as Australia’s leading state in the industry. Ballarat has become an international investment hub for ICT companies, creating jobs and strengthening the local economy.”
iGATE offers a specialized service delivery model known as iTOPS (integrated technology and operations), which combines process outsourcing with the underlying technology infrastructure to offer clients optimised solutions and cost savings.
“We are seeking to bring a state of the art outsourcing model to the Australian market. We expect this (iTOPS model) will take operational efficiencies up quite dramatically while still having the safety net of part of the operations done locally,” iGATE’s Chief Executive Officer Phaneesh Murthy told IANS on telephone.
All banking and mailing processes will remain in Australia. iGATE was awarded the RTBA contract after winning an open tender bid from amongst over 15 leading ICT companies.
“The contract was awarded to iGATE based on the right to continue to use the processing system after the expiration of the contract, price, service delivery, and opportunities for future improvement throughout the life of contract – they simply provided us with the better offer,” said Minister for Consumer Affairs Tony Robinson.
“This announcement is a fantastic boost for jobs in Ballarat while continuing to deliver high quality services to landlords and tenants”
Robinson added. RTBA undertakes more than 400,000 bond transactions each year.
Ballarat joins iGATE’s global chain of delivery centres, including five in India and one each in the US and Europe.
The company’s decision to set up business in Ballarat is seen as a direct result of the Victorian state government and the Ballarat City Council’s focus on business and investment opportunities from India.
“We are certainly beginning to achieve the business development opportunities that are possible from India and this provides Ballarat with a unique economic competitive edge against any other regional centre in Australia. This investment is resulting in new business outcomes for both the community and our current businesses,” Ballarat City Council CEO Anthony Schinck said.
“With this centre in place iGATE now has more ambitious plans to introduce the revolutionary iTOPS model to businesses and government in Australia,” Murthy told IANS.
The New South Wales state government has also shown interest in iGATE’s work and has recently visited the company’s Bangalore facility.