Aegis acquires Ismart Timex:

White collar jobs, facilities for Sri Lankans

Harshini PERERA

Aegis (Pvt) Ltd., a leading global business process outsourcing (BPO) provider acquired 80 percent shares of Ismart Timex (Pvt) Ltd., a leading BPO services provider in Sri Lanka.

“The BPO sector contributes to the development of a country which provides many employment opportunities to young people.

With the setting up of a leading BPO service in Sri Lanka, Aegis will provide white collar job opportunities and training facilities which will enhance the standard of the employees,” said COO, MEA&APAC-Aegis Ltd, Sudhir Agarwal.

He said that Aegis will decide on the services Sri Lanka has to supply considering the capability of the employees.

There has not been severe competition in the BPO sector and Sri Lanka will have enough employment opportunities. Compared to other countries in the region, Sri Lanka has much experience relating to BPO but it will take several years to grow as the leading BPO.

There will be 2,000 employment opportunities for young energetic people in Sri Lanka and they will be trained for an end to end service.

The employees have to work in a cross-cultured environment and have equal opportunities for locals and foreigners, he said.

There are challenges in the BPO sector in Sri Lanka - escalating electricity cost and difficulty faced owing to the modes of transportation, said Managing Director, Timex Garments (Pvt) Ltd, Arshad A. Sattar.

He said that other BPOs will soon have their presence in Sri Lanka due to peace but it will take at least one and a half years to bring young people in the Northern and the Eastern areas to the BPO sector.

With the initiation of the Aegis BPO service centre, it will centralize in the city but will venture in to other areas in the future.

He said that Sri Lanka stands next to India as far as the BPO sector is concerned. Sri Lanka has the potential to grow as the leader in the BPO sector.