Global leader in photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions First Solar opened its Global Shared Services Centre in Penang today with plans to invest RM30 million over the next three years.
First Solar opened its new setup of Shared Services (SS) facility with about 100 employees in a space covering 10,000sq ft at Gurney Paragon today.
The First Solar SS centre will provide strategic and operations support to First Solar worldwide entities and key areas of this shared services centre include Global Finance Services and Global Information Technology Services, according to state chief minister Lim Guan Eng.
The Air Putih state assemblyman said the investment by First Solar is in line with Penang’s vision of becoming the administrative and manufacturing hub for companies with Shared Service Outsourcing (SSO) operations in human resources, procurement, data processing, credit transactions, finance, accounting and IT.
“Currently, the outsourcing sector provides high-salaried employment to some 7,000 Penangites,” he said.
Other than First Solar, companies such as Citigroup Transaction Services Malaysia, IHS, Wilmar and AirAsia have started their SSO operations in Penang.
Penang had also announced plans for a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hub in two phases over the next five years across seven hectares, offering 1.7 million square feet of office space in Bayan Baru and Bayan Lepas.
