Biradar re-elected to head GSAJ
Published:Monday | July 24, 2023 | 12:52 AMMark Titus/Gleaner Writer
Top outsourcing executive Anand Biradar has been re-elected unopposed to serve a second term as president of the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ).
The vote took place at the GSAJ’s annual general meeting (AGM) held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James on Thursday.
The non-government not-for-profit group, which represents the outsourcing sector, as well as information, communications technology (ICT) companies in Jamaica, is a key driver of the local economy, boasting more than 60,000 employees across nearly 100 firms.
According to Biradar, the senior vice-president and head of the Caribbean and Latin America international outsourcing firm Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), the sector’s growth between 2013-2023 has laid a platform for the industry to continue its transition up the value chain.
“We are a critical industry, and we have made an impact on the Jamaican economy, so we can be proud of our achievements,” Biradar told the membership.
Biradar expects to see growth in Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) in the next five to 10 years.
“So, primarily we will lobby for better operating environment and better policy to make Jamaica the ideal destination to do business.”
For 2023, the association’s focus has been to incorporate the sector’s work-from-home policy, which is now four to five months from implementation, protecting the integrity of the outsourcing community and offering greater support to affiliate members.
A major concern for sector players at the AGM is the constant backlog for applications for criminal records.
“It is concerning because the hiring for most BPOs happens in larger numbers, sometimes running into 200 a week for many BPOs,” Biradar told The Gleaner. “The bottleneck gets created at CRO, who has been struggling to process the applications on a timely basis.”
Each year, members of the board are elected from a slate of nominees who are confirmed by an executive committee to ensure a fair representation of the membership and skills. Nominations are also accepted from the floor at the AGM.
The Board of Directors for 2023-2024
Anand Biradar – President
Wayne Sinclair –1st Vice President
Jake Becker – 2nd Vice President
Jaime Vergara – 3rd Vice President
Lyn Langford - General Secretary
Mark Kerr Jarrett – Treasurer
Gloria Henry Immediate past president
Andrew Fazio, Julaire Hall, Don Gittens, Leezo Wallace, Debra Frazer and Jeane-Marie Dillon (directors)
Egbert Von Frankenberg and Conrad Robinson (Ex- officio members)