Cartagena, Colombia, May 26  – More than 300 outsourcing professionals have convened in Cartagena, Colombia to kick off the first-ever 2011 Latin American Outsourcing Summit.

 

“Colombia has access to innovation like never before,” President Juan Manuel Santos said in a statement opening the event and showing the government’s support of the industry. 

 

Hosted by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals® (IAOP®) and ANDI, the National Business Association of Colombia, the event will run until May 27 at the Las Américas Global Resort and International Convention Center in Cartagena.

 

Leaders from across the Latin American business community along with IAOP’s thought leadership and global network are joining at the event to better understand and leverage the explosion of outsourcing taking place across the region, including Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru.  

 

“Outsourcing is proving to be most important in providing businesses with a high level of flexibility,” said IAOP Chairman Michael Corbett. “Outsourcing providers need to be able to provide their customers with the ability to enter into flexible relationships.” 

 

Corbett shared results from the 2010 Outsourcing World Summit Survey that showed 97 percent of respondents globally are outsourcing the same or more and the top 200 companies in outsourcing generated some 4 million jobs. 

 

“The Great Recession has in fact been good for the global economy,” Corbett noted. “There has been a two to one increase in the number of companies increasing volumes, and a seven to one increase in the number of companies increasing services.” 

 

Other opening speakers included Luis Carlos Villegas, president, ANDI; Maria Claudia Lacouture, president, ProExport; Carlos Castro, chairman, chamber of BPO&IT, ANDI; and Santiago Pinzon Galan, executive director, Chamber of BPO&IT ANDI and chair of IAOP’s Latin America Advisory Board. 

 

About IAOP 

The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals® (IAOP®) is the global, standard-setting organization and advocate for the outsourcing profession. With more than 110,000 members and affiliates worldwide, IAOP helps companies increase their outsourcing success rate, improve their outsourcing ROI, and expand the opportunities for outsourcing across their businesses. Visit www.iaop.org