Hinduja Global keen on acquiring inbound call centre

Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd (HGSL), the business process outsourcing (BPO) arm of the Hinduja Group, is actively scouting for an inbound call centre with a maximum of $400 million (around Rs 1,900 crore) in revenues, preferably based in the US. The company is also understood to be open to acquiring a BPO company in the $50-400 million revenue bracket with a good track record in servicing inbound projects out of Europe or India.

 

Hinduja Capital Advisors, the merchant banking arm of the Hinduja Group, is understood to be looking at acquisition and investment options in the US and India, sources said. Hinduja Capital’s activities include mergers and acquisitions as well as raising of debt and equity for the Group. With over 14,000 people on its rolls currently, HGSL had 80 customers at the end of March 2009. The company saw attrition rates in the 50-60 per cent range in fiscal 2009, which Vora said, is comparable to the industry average.

 

Declining to comment on the acquisition range or revenues of the acquiree company, Anand Vora, chief financial officer of HGSL said the company is looking to enter new geographies through the organic route, while also ramping up its position in existing geographies through the addition of new business verticals. “We believe that inbound business is better as it has a stronger services angle to it and is relevant across key verticals like telecom, insurance and mortgage services. We are actively looking at growth opportunities to gain scale in these verticals,” Vora said.

 

HGSL posted revenues of Rs 218 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2009. The US market contributed 44 per cent of the topline in the fourth quarter. Topline income for fiscal 2009 was Rs 797 crore with profit after tax touching Rs 104 crore.

 

The company operates 20 delivery centres in the United States, Canada, Mauritius and the Philippines. While bolstering capacity at its Indian operations, HGSL will also open a new 1,000-seater facility in Manila where it presently operates a 1,200-seat centre.