OUTSOURCING MALAYSIA SIGNS WAY FORWARD AGREEMENT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF OUTSOURCING PROFESSIONALS

Agreement strengthens efforts to promote Malaysian companies in the global market Outsourcing Malaysia (OM), an initiative of PIKOM (Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia), and the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) recently announced a significant development in their partnership via a Way Forward Agreement.

Witnessed by the honourable Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, a signing ceremony to signify the agreement was held during the 16th World Congress on Information Technology.

OM was represented by its chairman, Mr. David Wong Nan Fay, and representing IAOP was its chairman Mr. Michael F. Corbett. The IAOP is a global standard-setting organisation for the outsourcing industry and advocate for the outsourcing profession. IAOP reaches out to the marketplace through an extensive network of chapters to bring together capabilities, best practices and experiences from all over the world.

“The Way Forward Agreement provides a fundamental step for further promoting Malaysia’s outsourcing services in the global market through IAOP networks.” said Wong.
“It also aims to spur local outsourcing companies to learn from other countries in developing their businesses and adopt global best practices. This initiative is intended to help local outsourcing players to become competitive on a global scale and at the same time create a talented globally oriented workforce.” said Corbett

The agreement follows a series of undertakings by OM to boost the local shared services and outsourcing business.

In October 2007, OM had formed the Malaysian Chapter of the IAOP to help position the country as a strategic location for outsourcing services. This endevour had seen Malaysia becoming the first South East Asian country to set up the IAOP chapter.

Since the commencement of the Chapter, OM has been active in promoting Malaysian outsourcing companies and at the same time leveraging on the IAOP network of over 40,000 members worldwide to introduce global best practices.
In April this year, the Malaysian IAOP Chapter conducted the first Certified Outsourcing Professional (COP) Master Class in South-East Asia. This programme was conducted to develop a new generation of outsourcing professionals to meet the demands of the global outsourcing marketplace.

The COP Master Class course provides a platform for COP candidates who aim to consult at all levels of the organisation and to lead their organisations’ outsourcing programmes.
Recently, IAOP also formed its Asia-Pacific Advisory Board and Malaysia is one of its key founding members. Through this Board, Malaysia alongside other South East Asian nations, work together in contributing to the global knowledge and capabilities. Concurrently leveraging on IAOP’s global outreach, these countries can establish partnerships towards creating competent outsourcing professionals.

“Through this partnership, OM plans to leverage on IAOP and the Board in creating specific courses and curricula that can be taken into the marketplace, universities and other IHLs to ensure a continual flow of talented workforce is being generated who will have an competent understanding of outsourcing and the services globalization marketplace.” Added Wong.