ING expands services center in PH

ING’s global shared services center in Manila is increasing its workforce, aiming to reach 700 employees before the end of the year in an expansion that would cement the standing of its Philippine shared services operations as its largest globally.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, ING Business Shared Services Country Manager Cees Ovelgonne said the company was ramping up its support capacities as it aims to grow in the knowledge process outsourcing sector, tapping the “vast amount of talent” in the local job market.

Opening the shared services hub in Manila in 2013, ING Business Shared Services, Inc. provides in-house support for ING’s wholesale banking branches globally, serving 38 countries in total.

There are only four ING shared service centers globally, all of which offer in-house operations. The three other centers are in Slovakia, Romania and Poland.

The shared services center offers support for various areas of operations, including processing services for lending, financial markets, bank treasury and trade finance.

“We hope at least before the end of the year we would reach 700 employees,” he said, adding that they would soon occupy a total of eight floors in World Plaza from four floors currently.

Moreover, on the sidelines of the press briefing, ING Bank Country Manager Consuelo Garcia said that the expansion stands as “testament” to how the company regards the Philippine talent pool.

“They actually have choices. Poland is actually also very cost competitive. But for them to have chosen the Philippines to be the bigger shared service is really a testament. Right now, I think it’s the biggest,” she told reporters.

The move to grow its KPO segment here is a way to divert KPO operations that are currently being rolled out in ING’s head office in Netherlands, she said. —ROY STEPHEN C. CANIVEL