India to play key role in ABB Group's business: CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer

CHENNAI: The ABB Group is on a “hiring mode” in India, proclaims chief executive Ulrich Spiesshofer. The power and automation engineering giant is evolving a “new shape” and India, a country where it has been operating for a century, will play an important role in shaping the new ABB. By the end of 2016, the Swiss company will have a headcount of 10,000 in India, compared with 8,900 at the end of last year.

He sees a “triple role” for ABB India, in his global strategy. While one role will obviously cater to local business opportunities, the parent is also preparing its Indian outposts to serve as a manufacturing base for South Asia and also as an engineering software and services hub for the world.

ABB has plans to use India as a base for other countries as well. “We’ll be investing and ramping up our global business services centre in Bengaluru,” he said.