Outsourcing is an integral part of any IT strategy since it can significantly reduce the operational cost of the business. Join Quentin Hardy as he chats with Mr Mahalingam, CFO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), about the growth in the outsourcing industry and how it is positioned to tackle Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). TCS is one of the largest outsourcing companies in India, which has recorded 143 consecutive quarters of growth and was the first Indian company to reach $2BN of revenue.

Businesses are looking at BPO for non-core functions as an opportunity to reduce cost and to free valuable resources to focus on core strategic goals. This is further stimulating the outsourcing market as competitors battle to deliver more strategic services in a timely and cost effective manner. As the outsourcing market matures companies such as TCS are realizing that it is no longer possible to work at arms lengths with their customers. They understand that physical presence and close customer relationships are key to any successful outsourcing venture.

The outsourcing landscape is changing on other fronts as well. India has long been the major player the IT outsourcing industry but there is a new kid on the block. China, which has experienced enormous growth from providing superior manufacturing capabilities is poised to do the same to the IT industry. Listen to understand where outsourcing is headed.

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Mr S. Mahalingam is Chief Financial Officer, Tata Consultancy Services.

Mr Mahalingam joined TCS in 1970 immediately after qualifying as a Chartered Accountant. His career in TCS has seen him participating in consulting assignments in many parts of the world. He managed the London and New York offices of TCS in the early days of TCS's internationalization. Mr Mahalingam was Executive Vice President before being appointed as CFO in February 2003.

Mr Mahalingam is also an influential member of various industry associations in India. He is the president elect of the Institute of Management Consultants of India (IMCI), a prominent body of consulting professionals, for 2003-04. He was the Chairman of the Southern region of the Confederation of Indian Industry, an influential body of industrial houses, till last year.

Resources:

• Tata Consultancy Services
• Software 2005 Conference

This program is from the Software 2005 series.

For Team ITC:

• Description editor: Jim Alateras
• Post-production audio engineer: Paul Figgiani