IT&T outsourcing booms in APAC

According to TPI, annual revenues showed a 13 percent increase, nearly double that of the global average. Asia Pacific was the only geography to show an increase across all of these measures.

Arno Franz, partner and managing director, TPI Asia Pacific, said the outsourcing market in Asia Pacific grew substantially in 2007, fuelled primarily by increased demand from corporations based in India, stated TPI.

The average value of outsourcing contracts in Asia Pacific increased by 25 percent from US$141M to US$176M, due largely to increased mega relationship activity in the region, especially in the last quarter of 2007. The region showed particular strength in mega relationships with nine signed in 2007 at a total value of US$1.5B.

“This represents one third of the mega relationships globally and contrasts sharply with the region’s overall share of one-sixth of the global outsourcing market. Larger contracts have become popular among companies based in Asia,” he said.

Outsourcing growth in Asia Pacific was largely driven by corporations in India and China - countries traditionally known for their provision of outsourced resources are becoming buyers of outsourcing. India has seen stepped up outsourcing activity within the Telecommunications and Financial Services sectors, whereas growth in China has been strongly influenced by a single telecommunications mega deal, said Franz.

According to TPI’s research, although Australia, India and Japan top the list of countries buying outsourcing services, in 2007 India led the pack by almost doubling the value of its outsourcing work year on year.

“It appears that, fuelled by a booming economy, Indian industry in particular has found outsourcing to be a viable tool to improve performance and drive growth in market share. With increased competition among Indian corporations and the potential privatisation of public sector organisations in the next few years, we expect to see this level of activity continue through 2008 and beyond,” Franz said.

Alongside increased domestic demand for outsourcing, the India-heritage service providers’ share of global contracts continued to expand in 2007, up from a six percent share in 2006 to nine percent in 2007.

According to Franz, no other category of service provider increased market share at such a pace. Their share of the regional market also increased strongly, from 11 percent to 16 percent.