Global information group Reuters on Thursday said it plans to triple its workforce at its India centre here to reach 1,200 people by 2005-end.
"We expect to increase our employee strength to touch about 1200 by next year end," Reuters Editor-in-Chief Geert Linnebank told reporters in Bangalore after the official opening of its new offshore operations.
The centre at present has 340 staff including 20 journalists in three divisions -- data operations, news and business services, he said.
Linnebank refused to divulge details of investment in the India centre citing Reuters policy. "It will be in many millions of pounds," was all that he would say.
Reuters will have around 50 per cent of its data operations workforce in Bangalore and about 450 roles at its overseas centres will 'disappear' by next year end, Reuters Global Head of Data Operations, Justin Abel, said.
"So far about 50 roles have disappeared. That is going to increase rapidly from now and the middle of next year. In total, we are talking about 50 per cent of the roles based in Bangalore and the rest of the roles are going to disappear, about 450 roles by next year end," Abel said.
Reuters at present has about 1,000 people working at its data operations units including in Tiverton in the United Kingdom, New York and Singapore.
Reuters Global Managing Editor David Schlesinger said the firm would double its journalist strength to 40 soon, and added, "no journalist has become redundant because of Bangalore operations."
