- Creation of 200 new jobs in the West Midlands, backed by strong investment
- Commonwealth Business Forum will champion clean growth through trade and investment
Birmingham, UK, 26 July 2022. A major job creation backed by a strong investment has been announced by Firstsource, a global process management provider headquartered in Mumbai, India. The announcement comes two days before the Commonwealth Business Forum is to be held during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on Thursday 28 July 2022.
Firstsource is set to create up to 200 new roles in the West Midlands by the year end, building on the 300 jobs created since the start of 2022. Operating in the UK since 2006, the company currently employs over 5,000 people nationwide. To support its growth ambitions, Firstsource is launching a training scheme in collaboration with West Midlands’ local authorities and education bodies.
The investment has been supported by the Business and Tourism Programme (BATP), the first programme of its kind established to boost the economic impact of the Commonwealth Games.
The highlight of the programme is the Commonwealth Business Forum, which builds on the UK’s climate leadership at COP26 to champion green growth across member nations. As athletes prepare for their first day of competition at the Games, business leaders will gather at the ICC, Birmingham to discuss how the transition to net zero can stimulate sustainable economic growth through trade, including green investment opportunities, ideas for green finance and innovative technologies.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry
- Jerome Frost, Chairman – UK, India, Middle East & Africa, Arup
- Andrew Griffith MP, Minister for Exports, Department for International Trade
- Lord Marland, Chairman, Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council
- Julia Prescot, Partner, Chief Strategy Officer, Meridiam
- Amanda Pullinger, CEO, 100 Women in Finance
- Athletes Tessa Sanderson CBE and Stef Reid MBE
Andrew Griffith MP, UK Minister for Exports said:
“The Commonwealth Games not only showcase some of the best sporting talent around the world, but equally allow businesses to shine. That’s why I am looking forward to welcoming and working with so many brilliant businesses at these Games.
“By working together for these major cultural moments, we can highlight great examples of UK exporters and investors. There is huge potential across the West Midlands – for levelling up, new investments and to support our drive to net zero – and these Games are a chance to fly the flag for the region and the wider UK economy.”
Firstsource specialises in digitally empowered customer experiences, intelligent back-office processes and platforms, automation and analytics solutions, with clients across banking and financial services, communications, telecoms and media, healthcare and other industries. The new Birmingham operation will provide services for two leading UK banks, with a view to expanding to other clients.
Rajiv Malhotra, Head of Europe Business at Firstsource, commented: “The West Midlands is the UK’s largest hub for regional, professional and financial services business – the unrivalled support for rapidly expanding businesses made the region and the city of Birmingham an obvious choice for our new operation.
“We are delighted with our partnerships with education and investment organisations in the region and look forward to further collaborations. The new training approach will help Firstsource access a wider talent pool and unlock tremendous potential to build digital customer experience hubs for our clients.”
Through support from the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Firstsource launched a pilot for an innovative three-week pre-employment training programme for residents seeking work.
Delivered via Birmingham Metropolitan College and BCTG Group, the pilot aims to develop a pipeline of work-ready customer experience advisers. The West Midlands’ pilot programme will be used by Firstsource as a blueprint to roll out similar initiatives across its other UK centres.
Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:
“With the Commonwealth Business Forum set to showcase the economic importance of the Commonwealth, this significant investment is a true vote of confidence in the region as a global hub for businesses looking to trade, innovate and grow. Building on India’s strong track record of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the region, these 200 new jobs are brilliant news for Birmingham and I look forward to seeing Firstsource go from strength to strength at their new UK headquarters.”
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “I welcome this inward investment into our region from Firstsource and the 200 new jobs they’re creating. Given the economic importance of the Commonwealth, this significant vote of confidence in us from Firstsource is very timely as it underlines our credentials as a global business hub and builds on India’s strong track record of foreign direct investment into the West Midlands. I wish them great success.”
The Commonwealth Business Forum is part of UK House, a platform to bring together businesses and governments to discover opportunities for partnership and innovations for sustainable growth during Birmingham 2022. It is hosted by the UK’s Department for International Trade, in partnership with the region’s official economic development agency, the West Midlands Growth Company.
For more information on the Commonwealth Business Forum or to register to attend one of the seven sector focus days at UK House, visit: www.ukhouse2022.co.uk