Progeon plans to expand BPO services

As part of its expansion strategy, Progeon, the business process outsourcing (BPO) subsidiary of Infosys, is planning to enter into more complex BPO activities apart from the plain vanilla outsourcing activities it is offering at present.

Progeon would hire about 1,000 people during the current financial year as part of its expansion strategy in India and Europe.

"We will offer a complete outsourcing solution in an integrated manner, with an intense understanding of the business of our customer," Akshaya Bhargava managing director and chief executive officer, Progeon, told Business Standard.

The company would strike a balance between off-shore and on-shore workforce, he added.

"We plan to expand activities at our centres at Bangalore, Pune and east Europe. We may hire about 1,000 people, that will raise our strength to 3,500 by March 2005," Bhargava said.

The company targets about 100 per cent revenue growth in during the year, raising its revenue over $31 million, Bhargava said.

Bhargava said the Indian BPO sector had a long way to go. "Out of the $3.6 billion BPO industry in the country, captives and semi-captive BPOs account for $1.6 million each. Indian companies account for only $1 billion, out of which, 76 per cent market share is cornered by the top 20 companies," he said.

"Demand is enormous, we have not even started," Bhargava added.