Infosys moves into NZ on back of Telecom deal

Infosys Australia has opened an office in Wellington, New Zealand after the Indian-owned outsourcing company decided to manage all future Kiwi operations from its Australian office.

Wellington was chosen as the beachhead for Infosys Australia's trans-Tasman crossing after a deal struck with Telecom New Zealand, via which "up to 100" Infosys employees will assist New Zealand's telco incumbent with testing services for future products.

Jackie Korhonen, CEO and Managing Director of Infosys in Australia and New Zealand, told iTnews that Infosys has long had disparate operations in New Zealand, including a small branch office, but this branch was run as a subsidiary of the [India-based] parent company, Infosys Technologies Limited.

"Given our regional focus, New Zealand has been brought back under my organisation," she said. "This way we can leverage the skills and talent we have in Australia to serve the New Zealand market."

Some of those skills, she said, included Kiwi ex-pats living and working for Infosys in Australia, who will be "tapped for their contacts and relationships".

Korhonen said Infosys is looking to form new partnerships in New Zealand to become "part of the IT industry" within the country, and potentially to employ New Zealanders.

"We are looking to invest in sales people, infrastructure and support mechanisms," she said, depending on business demand.

Key verticals will include telecommunications, banking and financial services

Currently, she said, some 60 Infosys staff are employed in New Zealand and Infosys Australia has "a number of people who commute to New Zealand on a weekly basis".