Nearshore Americas

Sutherland Global Expands To Little Known Brazilian City Of Itajai

BPO major Sutherland Global Services (SGS) has expanded its footprint to Brazil with the launch of a delivery center in the little-known city of Itajai. The Rochester, New York-based outsourcer says it has already hired 75 people for the center and will increase the headcount to 400 in the months to come.

In a press release, Sutherland emphasized the fact that it sourced all the employees from local communities. The new 1,518-square-meter facility spans three floors and is equipped with all the modern amenities to deliver back-office service to global clients.

Founded in 1986 by the Indian-born Vellodi, Sutherland is one of the top F&A service providers in the nearshore region, with delivery centers in Mexico, Jamaica and Colombia.

“Sutherland’s technology vertical and FAO business have been growing at a fast pace over the past few years and our new team in Brazil will be responsible for helping us continue that growth,” said Aaron Phillips, Vice President and Brazil Implementation Leader for the outsourcer.

It is not clear why it moved into Itajai, but its officials noted in the release that “customers require this level of support across every technology product, platform, and application. In addition, they are seeking quick and easy resolution to questions and technical problems.”

Although most of Sutherland’s nearshore centers are believed to be serving its North American clients, Felix Massun, the company’s business development officer for Latin America, stated that the new delivery center bolsters its ability to serve both global and regional clients.

Among its global clients are Deutsche Bank, the largest foreign exchange dealer in the world, and Asia’s biggest low-fare airline, AirAsia. The privately held company is estimated to have revenues approaching US$750 million, the result of impressive growth since the downturn in 2008.

The outsourcer has recently launched a separate unit to provide back-office services to US federal agencies. Last year, reports surfaced that the company poached several top executives from Capgemini as part of a plan to expand rapidly in the nearshore region.

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SGS employs about 36,000 people in over 40 centers worldwide, with 40% of its revenue coming from Fortune 50 companies. In Colombia alone, the company has hired about 1,500 employees.

Narayan Ammachchi

News Editor for Nearshore Americas, Narayan Ammachchi is a career journalist with a decade of experience in politics and international business. He works out of his base in the Indian Silicon City of Bangalore.

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