World IT-BPO summit in Manila to tackle ‘unprecedented challenges’

The global financial crisis has taken its toll on the information technology-business process outsourcing industry, prompting stakeholders to huddle in a summit in Manila and seek new opportunities beyond the slump.   Benedict Hernandez, Business Processing Association of the Philippines president and chief executive, said Thursday these are the things that will be tackled in the 4th International Outsourcing Summit next October, noting the event is timely as "key IT-BPO markets face unprecedented economic challenges."   Other challenges are the looming protectionism, increased competition, and client demand for services that do more than provide high efficiency levels. “Increasingly clients expect our industry to play a significant role in transforming their business processes, and creating new sources of revenue,” Hernandez noted.   The association expects 100 speakers and panelists and 500 delegates to grace the summit from Oct. 7 to 9 at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.   With developments in technology, expanding demand, and shifts in public policy creating major shifts for the industry, the opportunities and threats are both exciting, and challenging, Gillian Virata, BPAP senior executive director.   To speak during the event are Alfredo Ayala, president and CEO of LiveIt Investments Ltd. and chairman of BPAP; Som Mittal, president of NASSCOM; Jean Paul Binot, director for Finance Transformation at Deloitte Consulting Pte.; Penny Bongato, executive director for Talent Development of BPAP; Gerry Clark, partner, Information Services Group; David Guerrero, chairman and CCO of BBDO Guerrero; and Hernandez as BPAP chief and operations lead of Accenture BPO Services Delivery. —VS, GMA News