Wipro Technologies to Open New Software Development Center in Atlanta - Plans to Hire from Local Universities
| Monday, August 27, 2007 |
Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774
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State-of-the-Art Facility will Strengthen U.S. Presence of Major Indian Company
ATLANTA – Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that Wipro Technologies, the global IT services business of Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT), will open its new global software development center in Atlanta.
“We are proud that Georgia can offer the top-notch technology, workforce and other business assets Wipro is looking for to grow its presence in the United States,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “I’m especially pleased about the partnership between Wipro and the University System of Georgia to train and educate more than 500 employees.”
Wipro is in the process of choosing a location in metro Atlanta for its first development center in Georgia. The center will help Wipro hire skilled workers and domain experts who will be critical to Wipro’s business growth plans in the U.S. The new center will also allow Wipro to move forward with its business growth strategy to invest and recruit skilled talent within the U.S. in order to provide localized and closer-to-customer service for its expanding technology services business in the Americas.
“The work we’re doing requires more and more knowledge of the customers’ businesses, and you want local people to do that,” said Wipro President and CEO Americas P.R Chandrasekar. “The Atlanta center is an investment that will help Wipro’s existing customers as well as help address new business opportunities.”
Wipro chose to establish its presence in Atlanta because of the technical talent pool available in the region, given its proximity to key universities. For the first year, the Atlanta facility will hire more than 200 positions. By its third year of operation, the facility is expected to employ more than 500 employees. Wipro will also set up a training center in Atlanta to provide both technical and soft-skills training to its employees in Georgia, and plans to sponsor higher education degrees for up to 40 percent of its employees for training and development.
“Wipro told us what they needed, and the University System of Georgia responded with a comprehensive workforce development program,” said Erroll B. Davis, Jr., Chancellor. “Through ICAPP (Georgia’s Intellectual Capital Partnership Program), we tapped into the resources of Georgia’s 35 public colleges and universities to find the best solution for this company. Kennesaw State University and Southern Polytechnic State University are collaborating with Wipro to create an innovative curriculum development and delivery system.”
The center is part of Wipro’s strategy to build global delivery capabilities and will significantly increase the company’s presence and base of local hires in the United States. Wipro has over 12 offices in the United States, and the Atlanta center will strengthen the company’s growing global delivery capabilities, which include development centers in Brazil, Eastern and Western Europe, China, Mexico and Canada.
Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Statewide Project Manager Mary Z. Douglass assisted the company with its location, as did the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MACOC).
“The Wipro investment is significant for metro Atlanta, and will create additional quality jobs coming from India,” said Hans Gant, senior vice president of Economic Development for MACOC. “Metro Atlanta continues to expand its global connections, and attract companies half a world away because we’ve got everything they need—a home base located in the heart of the nation’s fastest-growing metro area, a low cost of doing business, access to the world through our international airport and world class universities.”
About Wipro Technologies
Wipro Technologies, a division of Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT) is the first PCMM Level 5 and SEI CMM Level 5 certified IT Services organization globally. Wipro Technologies was recently assessed at Level 5 for CMMI V 1.2 across offshore and onsite development centers. Wipro is one of the largest product engineering and support service providers worldwide. Wipro provides comprehensive research and development services, IT solutions and services, including systems integration, Information Systems outsourcing, package implementation, software application development and maintenance services to corporations globally.
In the Indian market, Wipro is a leader in providing IT solutions and services offering system integration, network integration, software solutions and IT services. Wipro also has profitable presence in niche market segments of consumer products and lighting. In the Asia Pacific and Middle East markets, Wipro provides IT solutions and services for global corporations. Wipro’s ADS’ are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and its equity shares are listed in India on the Stock Exchange-Mumbai, and the National Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit Wipro’s websites at www.wipro.com http://www.wiprocorporate.com