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ANZ to send 500 IT jobs to India

In yet another shake-out of the Melbourne banking scene, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group today confirmed it would send around 500 information technology and back office jobs to India by year's end.
Written by Liam Tung, Contributing Writer

In yet another shake-out of the Melbourne banking scene, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group today confirmed it would send around 500 information technology and back office jobs to India by year's end.

"In 2008, the size of the operation in Bangalore grew by around 500 people and it is reasonable to expect there will be similar growth in 2009," a spokesperson said in a statement. The majority of cuts are likely to come from its Melbourne headquarters.

Today's announcement follows the bank's decision late last year to cut 800 roles by the end of 2008. Those cuts targeted mid-level managers, including technology staff, however, the bank would not disclose the exact number of IT staff affected.

ANZ has owned its own Indian operations and technology business in Bangalore since 1989, with the centre focused on software development and maintenance. ANZ claims to employ around 3,000 staff there, with that figure now set to jump to 3,500 by the end of the year.

"Growth in Bangalore will be in technology and back office operations roles," the spokesperson said. ANZ said it intended to maintain its call centre operations in Australia and New Zealand.

The bank has yet to find a replacement to its former chief information officer Peter Dalton, who after two years in the role was shunted sideways as part of an executive level restructure to a position beneath ANZ's group managing director for strategy and marketing, Margaret Payn.

Dolaton's role is currently being shared between group managing director of operations, technology and shared services, David Cartwright, and deputy chief information officer Kieran Griffiths.

Fellow Melbourne-based bank National Australia Bank, which yesterday announced a senior executive shake-up, which has resulted in the replacement of Michelle Tredenick as its CIO, has recently attempted similar moves to ANZ. NAB's recent attempts to offshore more technology work to India, however, has been thwarted by the financial turmoil weathered by its offshore partner, Satyam.

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