EPAM Systems, an NYSE-listed IT services provider, in a bid to strengthen its presence in India, is doubling its headcount in the region in the next three years. It also plans to set up offices in tier-2 cities in the near term, according to Arkadiy Dobkin, CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board, EPAM Systems.
Key talent markets
Dobkin told businessline, “India has been one of the key talent markets as it is the third largest talent base for the global inc. Our headcount during the last two years has seen a growth of 50 per cent. We expect the region to become the largest talent base going forward.”
The company currently has 6,000 employees, accounting for 12 per cent of its global workforce based in India. EPAM is present in five locations – Hyderabad, Pune, Bangalore, Gurgaon, Chennai – across India. The India operations are a microcosm of the global inc, with all the key functions being worked on alongside the global operations, according to Dobkin.
“We made investments in our digital platforms way before the pandemic and remote working became a norm for the world. While we have offices in five large cities in India today, the talent pool is much more distributed. We plan to go to the second tier of cities as well but also we plan to continuously provide support for very comfortable and productive work in the work-from-home environment,” Dobkin said.
Firing of employees
Addressing reports of EPAM firing 100 employees in India in October, Dobkin said, “During a slowdown period, companies look into things more carefully. We carefully look at areas where productivity can be optimised, and try and improve it. So while there were some exits from the company, we have nonetheless been growing and have a very strong possibility of doing so in 2023 based on the headcount ratio.”
As EPAM bets heavily on the Indian market, Dobkin said that although some moderation is expected in growth on a global level, given the macro-economic headwinds, the Indian market will continue to grow proportionally higher.
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Published on March 8, 2023
