eTelecare gears up for more growth, IPO

eTelecare Global Solutions, the largest Philippine-incorporated call center company, has announced the appointment of its new president and chief executive officer, John Harris, who has been recruited to help take the rapidly growing company to an even higher level of success, including a potential initial public offering (IPO).

In a press briefing, Harris disclosed eTelecare’s 2006 plans to increase revenues to the P9-billion mark, hire an additional 3,000 new sales, technical support and financial services professionals in Metro Manila and Cebu, and add a fifth site in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Harris also spoke about eTelecare’s listing plans for this year. "We are working hard to prepare the company for a potential listing by the end of 2006, or possibly early next year. However, the exact timing will, of course, depend on many factors, including market conditions. We are considering either NASDAQ, the PSE or a combination," he said.

Harris brings to eTelecare a formidable track record in building successful and high-growth outsourcing companies.

He was formerly a top executive at EDS, one of the pioneers of the IT outsourcing industry and which grew from about $100 million in revenues to more than $19 billion during Harris’ 25 years with the company.

At EDS, he was president of the Communications Industry Group which he led from less than $100 million in revenues to approximately $900 million, with a staff of 5,000 in 22 countries, including significant call center operations.

Since EDS, he has been CEO of four companies, including most recently a $400-million business process outsourcing company.

Fred Ayala, chairman of eTelecare, said, "We are delighted to have recruited John as he is a respected leader in the US outsourcing industry and well-equipped to help us capitalize on our momentum."

Harris said a key reason he was attracted to eTelecare was its philosophy of making people its top priority.

Harris said, "eTelecare is unique in how much emphasis it places on hiring the best people, and then investing heavily in their training and development, which leads to highly motivated and skilled employees, significantly lower attrition rates and industry-leading performance levels for our clients."

Benedict Hernandez, vice president and general manager of the Philippine operations, added: "We have a very positive culture that rewards performance in a fun environment. The proof is in the pudding: In our quarterly employee satisfaction survey, 90 percent of our employees say that they would recommend us to a friend. We were told that one of the reasons we were selected last year by the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines as the youngest ever winner of the prestigious ‘Employer of the Year’ award, was the sentiment voiced by our employees that eTelecare is our company and we make a difference."

eTelecare helped pioneer the call center industry in the Philippines and took the first ever calls for the US market in 2000.

It acquired Arizona-based Phase 2, which specializes in the wireless industry, in 2004, and currently employs 7,000 people, of which 4,000 are in the Philippines and 3,000 in the US.

Harris was recently introduced to the Philippine workplace by Ayala and Hernandez in general assemblies in Metro Manila and Cebu, site of eTelecare’s fourth and latest call center.