Satyam to expand in Chennai, looking at recruitment in Gulf
By agencies   |   Wednesday, 02 March 2005, 20:30 IST
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CHENNAI:IndiaÂ’s fourth largest IT and Software services company Satyam Computer Services is expanding in Chennai and has bought 50 acres of land in the CityÂ’s old Mahabalipuram Road. The company is also looking at recruiting people in gulf countries. For this purpose the company has tied up with Dubai-based Emirates Consulting Group. Employing about 3000 professionals in Chennai, Satyam wanted to expand in Chennai and met the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitaa with a request for 100 acres of land and has been promised 50 acres. "At present only 50 acres has been made available to Satyam. The government will consider the request for the remaining 50 acres at a later stage," Vivek Harinaraian, Tamil Nadu's IT secretary said. Meanwhile, with an eye on cashing in on the boom for IT services in the Gulf region, Satyam has tied up with a Dubai based company to recruit locals in the Gulf. Under the agreement, Satyam will provide real-time support for projects executed by the Emirates Consulting Group (ECG) with the aim of improving the local and regional IT talent pool. The pact will help both companies to train and use the local talent to work on projects that hitherto were offshored to another company. As a first step, Satyam has already brought on board Arabic nationals on existing projects. The main objective of this drive is to reduce the reliance on Indian nationals in key program management and customer interface roles. "The knowledge transfer program with ECG will involve classroom training and on-the-job training on processes and methodologies followed by Satyam," said Satyam Managing Director, B Ramalinga Raju. "The lack of investment in ICT skills is holding back the Arab world. ICT expenditure averages 8.3 percent of GDP in North Africa, eight percent in Europe and just four percent in Arab countries, according to a recent Booz Allen Hamilton report. Local talent is required to develop this sector that in turn will contribute to the creation of new industries. By partnering with ECG, we will facilitate knowledge transfer to the region to build local expertise in ICT," he added.

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