PLDT to acquire 100% of SPI Technologies

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), the country's primary telecommunications company, is poised to acquire SPI Technologies, a move that will create the country's largest business outsourcing firm, GMA News.TV learned Friday. PLDT, through its information and communications technology division ePLDT, is currently in exclusive talks with the SPI group of companies to finalize the details of the deal. SPI is the country's 2nd largest pure-play business process outsourcing firm and the 9th largest independent BPO service provider worldwide. Ray Espinosa, ePLDT president, refused to disclose the value of the transaction, saying the company is still reviewing SPI's operations. "I cannot disclose the value yet because we are in due diligence and negotiation period," Espinosa told GMANews.TV. The SPI acquisition, combined with PLDT's existing call center undertaking, Ventus, is seen to solidify the telecom giant's presence in the BPO industry. "The deal will create the largest full service, voice and non-voice, independent BPO service provider in the Philippines and one of the top BPO firms worldwide," Espinosa said. Analysts tout the BPO industry as a bright spot in the Philippine business horizon. The acquisition also will automatically give PLDT a significant presence in the international outsourcing market. PLDT president Napoleon Nazareno said it is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 9.2 percent in the next four years. SPI operates in 23 sites across North America, Europe and Asia and provides BPO services to Fortune 500 companies worldwide. It has over 6,500 employees worldwide. PLDT's Ventus operates six call center facilities which offer primarily voice-based services to clients in the United States.-GMANews.TV