Wipro

IT services provider company Wipro Technologies, headquartered in Bangalore, India, has been located in London for many years as well as having a base in Reading, south east England.

The company

Wipro Technologies was established in 1980 in India (part of Wipro Limited, esbd in 1946) It is a global provider of Information Technology Services, providing consulting, software solutions, software applications development, maintenance work and research and development. “We are the largest third party R&D house in the world,” says Ramesh Phillips, the company’s European Operations Coordinator. “That’s something a lot of people don’t know.”

Headquartered in Bangalore, India, the IT division opened its first office in Western Europe in the UK in 1994 and has since grown to more than 3500 employees in Europe. Today, the European market represents almost 30% of revenues for Wipro Technologies worldwide, with 30 offices across Europe and shortly to cater for the Eastern European market.

So why did Wipro choose London as a place to set up business?

“There were various reasons,” says Phillips. “One was manpower and access to the major talent pool that London offers you – it is second to none. Centrally located, London is the best place to be and is the perfect launch pad to get into the other European regions. At the time when we first came to London and the IT industry was booming, London was the best place to be. The great thing about London is that it is still the best. London was a perfect launch pad.”

Wipro Technologies is not the only company to have found London to be an IT hotspot. Nineteen of the top 25 software and services suppliers have their HQs in London and all 25 are represented – including Accenture, Cap Gemini, CSC, EDS, Compaq, IBM, Fujitsu, KPMG, Microsoft, Oracle and Atos Origin. London also leads the way in the growth areas of mobile, broadband and wireless technologies and is at the forefront in developing Europe’s third generation wireless networks. Finally, all the major networks, hardware and application providers are present in London, attracted by the city’s culture of early adoption, as illustrated in the rapid role out of Wi-Fi networks.

Think London was introduced to Wipro at a reception in Bangalore and started working with them to assist in the expansion of the London office, based in central London. Armed with facts and figures on the strength of the London market for IT companies, Think London provided Wipro with the information and knowledge they needed to retain and grow its central London office, where around 20-30 staff work, alongside its existing Reading facility.

“Think London helped in connecting me with people I needed in terms of my office expansion,” says Phillips. “It was a very useful service. I was also able to meet relevant business contacts via Think London, for example at a high level Indian Business Reception organised by Think London that I attended, which was hosted by the Mayor of London. I met key players in the Indian business scene in London, these kinds of networks are extremely useful for Indian companies working in London and Think London connected me to them.”

Ultimately a London address was a great asset to the thriving business and one Wipro Technologies wanted to retain. “We needed to have a presence in London and it’s been great – everything you need for a successful business is here: from embassies to financial institutions – and most importantly our clients.”

Ramesh Phillips, European Operations Coordinator
Wipro

For more information about Wipro, please visit www.wipro.com