Salesforce keen on expanding in India; to invest more in Hyderabad, Bengaluru

Salesforce eyes expansion in India amid rapid growth

Customer relationship management-focused entity Salesforce is keen on expanding in India and looking for more space in the country, a top official said on Wednesday.

The company, which has centres in Bengaluru and Hyderabad to support global operations, is looking for space to expand in India currently, its chief operating officer Brian Millham told PTI here.

Apart from this, Salesforce also serves the domestic market and this business has been the fastest-growing one in any country for two consecutive years.

"India has been incredible for us from a growth perspective. But maybe that even pales in comparison to what we see in India from an employee perspective," he said, making it clear that the support rendered to the global operations is important.
The company will continue to invest in India going forward as well, Milham said, adding, "In fact, (we are) looking for new space and expansion in that market."

When asked about the same, its chief of engineering Srini Tallapragada elaborated that it will invest in the innovation hubs of Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Its country head Arundhati Bhattacharya said the number of employees in India has more than doubled to over 13,000 in the last two years and added that it will continue to add people. However, she declined to give a medium-term target for employees, saying the demand environment will influence the additions.

Making it clear that the company does not look at India from a cost arbitrage perspective when it comes to employees, Bhattacharya said it does not see any shortage of talent in India.

It has also been actively working to broaden the Salesforce ecosystem in the country through several initiatives like having over 20 lakh trailblazers and also internships where it is set to train over 2 lakh people in a tie-up focused on internships with the All India Council for Technical Education, she said.

The company is also set to launch a dedicated offering for small businesses next year, she said.

Bhattacharya said that demand for Salesforce services is present across sectors and hoped to retain the title of fastest-growing market for three consecutive years.

In order to grow the domestic business faster, it has recently set up a government division which will tap into opportunities presented by the state like help in implementing citizen services, government schemes and healthcare benefits, among others.

Bhattacharya said her transition from being the SBI chairman to the current role has been an energising one and added that she gets client-centricity to the table.