Symposium on Outsourcing Sector Set on September

Local IT heroes to speak on equity funding alternatives for local startups


Outsource2Philippines and Business Processing Association of the Philippines announced that an executive business briefing, “On the Road to Going Public”, will take place September 18, 2008, from 7:30 am to 10:30 am, at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. Organized in association with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), the forum will focus on equity funding alternatives for companies in the Offshoring and Outsourcing industry.

On the Road to Going Public is a joint undertaking by BPA/P and O2P to support development of the Philippine O&O industry. The forum will feature presentations by high-level executives representing major industry players, including PeopleSupport Philippines Inc. president Rainerio “Bong” Borja and Gurango Software CEO Joey Gurango. Investment experts such as ATR-KimEng Securities Inc. regional economist Luz Lorenzo are also featured.

Considered a driving force behind the massive growth of the call center sector in the Philippines , Borja is a highly respected figure in the O&O industry. A member of BPA/P’s Board of Trustees, he is president of PeopleSupport Philippines Inc.—a fully-owned subsidiary of one of the world’s leading BPO companies, PeopleSupport Inc.

Last month, PeopleSupport Philippines announced that it is being acquired by Indian business conglomerate Essar Group for US$250 million. The company is scheduled to merge with Essar Group’s Aegis BPO, combining PeopleSupport Philippines ’ seven facilities (7,000 seats) with Aegis’ 25 facilities (14,000 seats).

Borja will participate in the briefing as an industry panelist. He played a major role in PeopleSupport’s initial public offering on the NASDAQ exchange in the United States . Borja is also well-versed with local and regional markets and is a member of the US-ASEAN Business Council and the Makati Business Development Association. He travels extensively in support of PeopleSupport’s global operations.

Software entrepreneur Joey Gurango will discuss his experience founding and preparing companies to go public. Gurango Software is an award-winning Microsoft Dynamics partner that develops and distributes products for the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem. Founded in 2003, the company has developed into a multinational software company, with offices in the US , Singapore, Australia, and South Africa aside from its local headquarters in the Philippines .

Lorenzo is an economist for ATR-KimEng Securities Inc.—a subsidiary of Philippine-based investment holding company, ATR KimEng Financial Corporation. ATR-KimEng Securities facilitates research, sales, execution capabilities for its institutional and retail clients worldwide. The company is considered the leading Filipino-controlled stock brokerage firm. In 2006, it was ranked sixth in total trading volume in the PSE.

O2P and BPA/P officials said the On the Road to Going Public breakfast briefing will serve as a venue for O&O company executives to acquaint themselves with the rules governing and processes involved in acquiring equity funding.

Other confirmed speakers for the event include Oscar Sañez, CEO, BPA/P; Frank Holz, CEO, O2P; Atty. Francis Lim, president, PSE; Karen Batungbacal, president, ICT Group Philippines; James Donovan, CEO, ADEC Solutions; Roberto Juanchito Dispo, chairman, First Metro Securities; Varvie Roldan, office of the general counsel, PSE; and Justina Callangan, corporate finance department director, Securities and Exchange Commission.