Huntsman opens global IT hub in Greater KL
29 Dec 2014
Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Maria Womersley said the quality of human resource in Greater KL is a key consideration for setting up its IT hub, which serves as its global shared business services centre in the area. The Greater KL site is a good base for developing professionals, she added.
As many companies that have set up businesses in Malaysia have recognised the talent pool in the country, Huntsman Vice President of Accounting Shared Services and Internal Contro, Steve Jorgensen said it is very important for companies like Huntsman that Greater KL and Malaysia continue to invest in their youth and the education system here continues to provide the required talents as there would be increasing demand for the talents, going forward.
The new global centre has recruited 60 IT staff out of its target of 100, which is in addition to the almost 100 employees under Huntsman’s accounting shared services centre in Greater KL. The company is currently seeking to fill the 40 jobs which require more technically specialised skills.
Meanwhile, Womersley commended InvestKL, the agency entrusted to promote investments into Greater KL, as well as the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) for being very collaborative and supportive when she first came to assess the Greater KL for its operations.
The company initially set up an office in Greater KL some 22 years ago, which also supported a titanium dioxide plant in Terengganu. Subsequently, other divisions were established in Malaysia.
Huntsman continues to expand its base in Malaysia, where in 2010, it opened the Accounting Shared Services Hub and in July 2014, it launched the Huntsman Global Business Services. To-date it has invested some RM1.4 billion in plant and equipment in its Malaysian operations.
Huntsman Regional Commercial Director, Eric Chong said Huntsman Pigments directly employs 275 Malaysians while 200 contractors support its plant. Overall, Huntsman’s businesses in Malaysia are contributing to the livelihood of at least 10,000 Malaysians either directly or indirectly, he added.
He said the company has also contributed some RM2 billion in terms of economic activity in the East Coast Economic Region, based on the latest estimate.
Huntsman has a worldwide network of production sites, whose products are used in various end-use applications such as commercial aircraft, housing, automotive and shoes.
Source: StarBiz
