Satyam, Outsourcing, Australia

Satyam CEO speaks about the warming outsourcing market in Australia

Satyam makes no secret of its plans for Australia. The $US1 billion Indian computer services company long ago identified this country as one of its most important targets in the region, and it has backed that up with hefty investments.
 
Melbourne is now home to Satyam's biggest development center outside India, and the Hyderabad outsourcer expects to boost Australian revenue by 30 per cent to $71.5
million in the 12 months to March 31 next year. It is known to hold contracts with Coles Myer, Qantas and Telstra, but strict non-disclosure agreements mean that many of its local customers remain secret.

Satyam has acknowledged that it works with big Australian banks in Melbourne and Sydney, but has refused to name names.

The company was reportedly snubbed last year when Westpac group executive Michael Coomer visited India on a fact finding mission, leaving the Sydney-based Commonwealth Bank as a likely customer.

Recently appointed Commonwealth Bank chief information officer Michael Harte has also shown enthusiasm for offshoring, and Satyam co-founder and chief executive Rama Raju says attitudes towards the practice in Australia are changing.

He has also staked a claim in one of the country's most resistant markets, the Australian government.

Satyam will have up to 20 employees in Canberra by the end of the year after opening an office there last month, but it does not expect an enthusiastic welcome to start with.

Go to Australian IT News to continue to the interview with Satyam CEO, Rama Raju
By Ben Woodhead