Bacardi to Launch Shared Services Center in Costa Rica

Spirit maker Bacardi has begun setting up a shared services center in the Costa Rican capital San Jose to support its business operation in Central America. Scheduled for inauguration in the first week of September, the shared services center will be staffed with technical, accounting and financial professionals.

The family-owned beverage maker, headquartered on the Caribbean island of Bermuda, is talking of generating nearly a hundred jobs in the Costa Rican capital by the end of this year.

“These are great opportunities for the highly trained and skilled employee base in Costa Rica to join us,” said Kevin McNamara, Vice President and Corporate Controller of Bacardi.

In a press release, Bacardi said it will also hire a few supervisors for the shared services center. “The location was chosen because of the region’s highly trained employee base as related to shared services expertise,” the beverage maker stated.

Costa Rica’s services sector is certainly on the rise. According to CINDE, the nation’s investment promotion agency, the service sector employs in excess of 46,000 people. Last year alone, as many as 40 companies expanded their operations to Costa Rica, generating US$583 million in foreign direct investment.

“Once again, we have successfully captured the investment of an important company, thanks to the specialized talent of Costa Ricans, the main element that differentiates us,” said Alexander Mora, minister of foreign trade.

Bacardi is the world’s largest privately held spirits company and its portfolio comprises more than 200 brands, including Bacardi rum and Grey Goose vodka.