Wipro GE Healthcare to hire 600 in 2 years

WIPRO GE Healthcare on Friday said it will hire up to 600 people to enhance its marketing force in the next two years, as part of plans to clock a revenue of $1 billion by 2015. The firm, a joint venture between Wipro and global conglomerate GE's healthcare business, also said it will launch 10-12 products, which have been designed and developed in India in three years time. "We have been beefing up our distribution system. While we are already present in 300 out of the 600 districts across the country, now we are looking at having individuals who can directly sell products in those local areas," Wipro GE Healthcare managing director V Raja said.

   In order to do that the company will add 500 to 600 people in the next two years, he added. "These people will be hired for all front-end related activities such as marketing and sales and market research," Mr Raja said. He said WGH has been shifting its emphasis from catering global needs to meeting local demand.

   "So in the next three years there would be about 10-12 products, which have been designed and developed in India, launched for the local market," he said. At present the company has 14 products which are locally developed. "These are all parts of our plans to clock a turnover of $1 billion in the next five years," Mr Raja said, adding "at present we are somewhere near the half-way mark." He also said going forward the firm expects contribution of domestic revenues to reach 50% in the next 3-5 years from the current 10%.