Indian outsourcer brings jobs to Northern Ireland

In a twist on the usual story of UK jobs being sent overseas, Indian business process outsourcing (BPO) company ICICI OneSource is creating around 1,000 jobs over the next two years in Northern Ireland.

With funding from Invest Northern Ireland, the company is opening two outsourcing centres - one in Belfast in July, with a second centre in the northwest of Northern Ireland planned for later on this year.

The company provides business process management to financial services, telecoms, media and healthcare organisations.

ICICI OneSource CEO Ananda Mukerji said he sees big opportunities to provide UK companies with business process management services.

He said Northern Ireland has a proven track record in providing a large pool of talented people and an "extremely conducive" business environment.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain said the deal illustrates international confidence in Northern Ireland's contact centre sector.

He said in a statement: "As the second greenfield investment to be made here by an Indian company, it clearly reinforces Northern Ireland as the most competitive nearshore option for companies seeking a base to service Western European markets."