Wipro to open centre in Beijing

Wipro Technologies, one of the world's top IT services companies, plans to open its first software development centre in Beijing soon to cash-in on the expected boom in the services sector.

"We plan to have a software development centre in Beijing within two to three months," solution delivery head, Japan and China Centres of Wipro (Shanghai) Limited, V Sreedhar said.

"The Chinese market is a different game altogether, right now it is a manufacturing sector and there will be shift towards knowledge or the services sector. So the real momentum is going to come maybe in two years down the line," he said.

"We are at a stage where we are preparing for that," Sreedhar told PTI.

"We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and taken space at the Zhongguancun Software Park. We are in the process of setting up our office in Beijing," he said.

Zhongguancun in Beijing is often dubbed as China's 'Silicon Valley.'

"It will be a Wipro facility," he said when asked whether it will be 100 per cent venture by the IT major.

"We are not into any tie-ups or joint venture with anybody yet," he said.

"We are focussed on very specific areas on very specific countries. We want to go in a very focussed manner while we learn because the boom will come two years down the line and it will help us build our capability towards that," Sreedhar said.

"We already have a built up space in ZSP and what we need to do is to equip the centre with proper infrastructure so that we can start our operations. The facility can accommodate around 50 people and the company will focus on local hire," Sreedhar said.

"We want to focus on local hire. It depends upon the kinds of engagements that we have. What we feel is a 80:20 mix," he said.

Up to 80 per cent of the staff would be local Chinese and the rest 20 per cent expatriates, he said.

When launched, Wipro will be the first Indian IT major to open a software development facility in Beijing as others, including Infosys and Satyam have their software development centres in Shanghai, the commercial hub of the country. TCS has chosen Hangzhou in east China for its software development facility.

Beijing government is rolling out the red carpet for Indian software companies to set up operations in the Chinese capital.