NYSE-listed WNS, which started operations as an offshoot of British Airways with investments by Warburg Pincus, now operates from 33 centres in India and abroad. The company’s market capitalisation crossed $1 billion in financial year 2013, and the outsourcer, with services across industry verticals, also provided a 107-per cent return to shareholders during the year.

Keshav R Murugesh, who joined WNS in February 2010 as its Group Chief Executive Officer, says, despite the difficult times, the company expects revenues to grow 8-9 per cent in 2014. Murugesh, who is also the Chairman of Nasscom’s Business Process Management (BPM) Council, explains the rationale of introducing a dedicated degree course for BPM (back-office outsourcing) sector.

Edited excerpts from an interview:

How has been the journey so far?

This has been one of the most fulfilling journeys for me, because, first and foremost, I was able to lead a motivated team of people, just like in Syntel. And, second, what I was able to do in a traditionally IT services company (Syntel), that is, position it on the global radar, I was also able to do in a business process outsourcing company.

Isn’t WNS still a mid-tier company?

My management team views WNS as a tier-I company. From a position of de-growth three years go, we have moved towards 8-9 per cent growth this year (FY14). And it comes on the back of a very difficult year for the industry. But we are confident about our pipeline as well as the fact that our sales engine is doing a great job in the market. We have delivered a 107-per cent return to shareholders. So, to me, we are the leader.

For India, a lot of emerging geographies are becoming competitors in the outsourcing space. Your comments?

I think it’s positive and complementary for the Indian business process management (outsourcing) industry. The whole model is one that chief executive officers cannot ignore. They appreciate it, and they understand the impact and importance of a global delivery model.

So, today, when you win a deal, it cannot be delivered from India alone. If it is a US voice accent, the preference is the Philippines, and for European languages, it is Romania or Poland. Similarly, for premium English voice capability for a UK client, it would be South Africa. We at WNS now deliver from 12 countries. But overall, the heavy lifting will continue to be done by countries such as India.

Why will India have the weightage?

India produces 3.5 million graduates, and industry bodies such as Nasscom are fine-tuning their message in terms of how they will create industry-ready graduates, how they will work with universities to drive curriculum, course development, and how they will drive more technology-oriented business process models.

So, with availability of people with a natural affinity for English, technology and mathematics, India will continue to rule the roost in terms of size, volume and skill for a long time.

From Nasscom’s point of view, what are initiatives being taken for the outsourcing industry?

Nasscom has taken a progressive step by recognising that BPM is a different from traditional IT services. It has created a number of councils to support outsourcing, products, start-ups and engineering services, among others.

Now, at the BPM council level, we are completely focused on a couple of key messages.

The first is re-branding in the industry. Today, companies such as WNS recruit high-profile, highly-qualified people.

All of us are working with governments and universities for course development, creating new curriculum and, thereby, churn out industry-ready graduates. In the future, BPM will see people being recruited for their skills as opposed to their degrees. We have now tied up with National Skills Development Council (NSDC) and others to drive some of these programmes.

On Nasscom’s plans to introduce dedicated degree course for BPM?

This is to bring in more BPM-ready graduates into the industry and create career options. It would also create a talent pool for the industry as opposed to the traditional method of recruiting civil engineers and training them.

The course is also a recognition of the fact that the BPM sector needs business-ready people who understand the sector, the domains and technology.

We are likely to announce the BPM degree course in June-July this year.

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