Wipro to set up strategic delivery centre in South Africa

Wipro Technologies has firmed up ambitious plans to drive its growth strategy in Africa. The IT major will establish a strategic delivery centre in South Africa which would employ around 1000 skilled professionals over the next three years.

According to the company it had chosen South Africa as a market for potential growth and has also created a special structure to drive global presence and business in these regions, the company said.

South Africa's IT spend is expected to grow from $10.7 billion in 2011 to about $17.4 billion in 2015 and the biggest sectors that would contribute to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) include financial services, business services and manufacturing.

The government of South Africa has launched several initiatives to boost the IT sector. Wipro is currently involved in building up traction in a number of areas including traction, telecom, financial services and oil and gas industries in Africa.

Wipro is keen on tapping into the country's large talent pool with its multi-lingual skills. The country's strategic location to the Middle-East and Europe as also cultural and business understanding of the market in Africa, is a huge plus that Wipro is looking to leverage.

According to Manoj Punja, senior vice-president and head-focus markets and global sales operations, Wipro Technologies will tap into the large pool of IT educated graduates. Wipro has plans to initiate campus recruitment drives and establish training and skills development programmes. He added the recruits would then undergo a competency evaluation test and deputed on projects.