Hundreds of jobs promised as tech giant Infosys plans expansion in Calgary

A new tech company is moving in, and Mayor Naheed Nenshi says he’s filled with “hope” and “optimism”. Cara Campbell has more on this good news for the economy.

CALGARY (660NEWS) — It’s a promising announcement for Calgary that could boost our city’s standing on the world stage.

Over the course of the next three years, tech giant Infosys is promising 500 new jobs as the company plans to set up shop in the city.

Infosys already has bases in Toronto and Vancouver and is hoping to help improve Calgary’s standing in the tech sector.

“Calgary is going to be one of those vibrant tech and innovation hubs, and we are hoping that Calgary could be this tech innovation ecosystem which we could actually lead,” said Infosys President Ravi Kumar.

Kumar adds there were a lot of things that attracted them to Calgary, including high quality of life paired with a low cost of living, and solid collaboration between governments and industries.

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“We believe that we could build that orchestration between enterprises, academia, and the government,” he said.

It’s great news for local talent who may have been having trouble looking for jobs in the city, as the company will look to attract people from schools such as the University of Calgary and SAIT as Infosys will also have training programs for new employees.

It’s something that has Calgary’s mayor, Naheed Nenshi, excited.

“Infosys isn’t just a great Indian company or a leader in India tech, they’re a leader in tech globally, this is a very, very big fish that does extraordinary work around the world,” said Nenshi. “Having Infosys make such an investment here in Calgary, means they will, in fact, form even more of a nucleus for our extraordinary ecosystem.

“Today, I am filled with optimism and I am filled with hope.”

The process to bring the firm into the city began years ago, when Nenshi and local representatives met with the company. Infosys already has a small base in the city with ten employees, and the expansion allows the capability to engage with more markets across Canada and the United States.

“When I first met Infosys with Mayor Nenshi in 2017, I was certain that Infosys, as a global company that is committed to building local ecosystems and community, would be a game-changer to propel Calgary’s growing tech ecosystem to new levels,” said Calgary Economic Development CEO Mary Moran.

Another major benefit for the expansion is that Infosys will snatch up some of the vacant office space in downtown Calgary, hopefully sparking further growth in a struggling area.

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“So to have Infosys here in Calgary — in downtown Calgary — it’s an important part of our economic development strategy and we are thrilled,” said Nenshi.

Infosys also has bases in other major cities such as Toronto and Vancouver, and this move to Calgary helps them move closer to a goal of having 4,000 employees around the country.

Premier Jason Kenney also echoing the optimism from the announcement, as he said this will be key in sparking a resurgence of growth in Calgary with a focus on diversifying the economy.

“This announcement is a testament to the talent and opportunity that exists in Alberta as we continue our progress towards economic recovery and growth,” he said.

Various other stakeholders also said this is an important announcement, including the Invest Alberta Corporation and WestJet.

“WestJet is a digital company with an airline behind it and we are proud to contribute to the innovation ecosystem in Calgary,” said Ed Sims, President and CEO of WestJet. “We are excited at the prospect of a global industry leader like Infosys creating more ideas and opportunities to drive change.”

Kumar said they will be able to assist a broad range of industries through the services they offer, which are focused on digital services and consultation. Ideally, this can attract a lot more business to the city by adding more “jobs for the future”.

“We could be the bridge to create those jobs, and we think it’s an extraordinary opportunity for the city of Calgary, for Infosys, and for the (province) of Alberta to build this ecosystem.”

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