Capgemini to make India epicentre of execution

Global software major Capgemini plans to make India epicentre of execution, as the country has 50 percent of its global workforce and is strategic to its global growth plans, a top official said on Tuesday.

"We are looking to make India the epicentre of execution for the group and will focus on building capabilities around innovation, client experience and leadership," Capgemini chief executive Paul Hermelin said at its new campus in Navi Mumbai.

The Paris-headquartered $13.6-billion Capgemini has 180,000 people in 40 countries. In Maharashtra alone, its Indian subsidiary has 33,000 employees, including 24,000 in Mumbai.

The 3-million square feet facility in the company's sprawling 50-acre campus at Airoli in the city's eastern region, unveiled by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier in the day, will have a capacity to seat about 30,000 employees.

The first phase of the campus with one million square feet built-up area is operational to seat 13,000 techies, while the second phase will be ready by 2018.

"The campus will deliver software services spanning application, digital and infrastructure to global customers based in the US and Europe in diverse verticals, including consumer products, retail, financial, manufacturing and automotive," Capgemini India chief executive Srinivas Kandula said on the occasion.

The facility has a client experience centre with capabilities of businesses and sectors the company serves. It also has an applied innovation exchange (AIE) for immersive experiences, collaboration, prototyping and testing.

"The Indian exchange is designed to work seamlessly with our eight other exchanges in San Francisco, London, Lillie, Utrecht, Munich, Paris, Toulouse, and Melbourne. It hosts solutions for retail, manufacturing, automotive, energy and utilities," Hermelin added.