Hindu Business Line: SapientNitro plans production studio in Bangalore, Noida
Moumita Bakshi Chatterjee
Sapient Corporation's business unit SapientNitro, which offers brand and marketing strategy, creative work, Web design, and traditional advertising services, plans to set up new digital production studios in Noida and Bangalore.
SapientNitro – formed after Sapient acquired global advertising firm NITRO Group in 2009 – has already opened one such studio in Gurgaon with about 70-75 people to serve the markets of North America, Europe and India.
The company did not divulge the scale of the new centres or the timeline for the launch saying it is yet to work out the details. However, the new studio in Bangalore could come up by the second or third quarter of this year.
The studio would focus on production functions including creation of microsites, landing pages, banner ads, analytics and e-mail marketing, among others. “It is an international creative production hub that will drive a lot of value for our clients across the globe,” said Mr Ramswaroop Gopalan, Country Manager, SapientNitro, said.
Sapient – which reportedly cut 300 jobs in India at the height of global downturn in early 2009 – said it would increase the total headcount in India by 20 per cent this year. At present, India forms two-thirds of Sapient's global workforce; the strength across three divisions SapientNitro, Sapient Global Markets (provider of services to financial and commodity markets), Sapient Government Services (provider of consulting, technology, and marketing services to an array of US governmental agencies) adds up to 4,700.
“There is no rationalisation or reduction in workforce. In our latest earnings statement, we have given an outlook of 20 per cent growth in service revenues for the year ending December 31, 2010. The guidance is based on resurrection in demand across categories, and it will translate into stronger hiring in all of this year in India,” said Mr Karandeep Singh, Managing Director of Sapient Corporation Private Ltd, a subsidiary of Sapient Corporation Inc.
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