WNS Global Services plans $37 million capex this fiscal to add capacity

Business process outsourcing company WNS is investing $37 million in various expansion activities in fiscal 2020, including building new centres, a top official has said.

The city-based company, which employs over 35,000 globally, will also continue investing in technologies, chief executive Keshav Murugesh told PTI in a recent interaction.

With respect to capital expenditure, we plan to spend up to $37 million in the current fiscal year, he said.

The investments will be for setting up new centers and expanding the existing ones, he said, citing Gurgaon, Mumbai and Pune as some centres where it will expand.

The company is also planning to ramp up its focus on international markets by increasing its presence in the US and the Philippines, he said, adding unlike the IT services sector, it is not impacted by visa regulations in the US.

Murugesh said the company has been hiring local talent wherever needed for a long time now and has also been using centres in India and in the Philippines for heavy lifting of a contract.

We will also invest to create capabilities, new offerings, enhancing IT capabilities in the areas such as cyber security, apart from strengthening the existing industry vertical and horizontal services offerings, he said.

The company will also continue to make investments in artificial intelligence and machine learning, he said.

Murugesh pointed out that re-skilling of the workforce for all the evolving technologies is a key focus for WNS and has already trained 18,000 employees to create a digital ready workforce.

On the impact of the investments on margins, he said investment is aimed at the future, stating that it will not lead to any decline on the long term targets.

The NYSE-listed company had closed FY19 with a revenue of $800 million and net income of $140 million which grew 19 percent.

The company is targeting a revenue growth of 7-13 percent on a constant currency basis in fiscal 2020, he said.