A Fijian delegation, led by Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, Hon. Faiyaz Koya participated in the 22nd ‘Shared Services and Outsourcing Week (SSOW)  held at Estoril, Portugal, from 23 – 25 May 2022.

The annual expo is the largest shared services event in Europe. This year, it has attracted over 400 attendees, including Microsoft, DHL, Tesco, and Lufthansa Airlines representatives.

The Fijian delegation included Outsource Fiji Executive Director Sagufta Janif, Investment Fiji Chief Executive Officer Kamal Chetty, and Fiji’s Trade Commissioner for Australia and New Zealand, Daniel Stow. It was supported by the Australian Government’s Market Development Facility (MDF).

Traditionally, European businesses have outsourced work to companies within the European continent. But several factors, including the ‘great resignation’ phenomenon following COVID-19, Brexit and the war in Ukraine, have impacted OS services.

Global businesses are now more open to exploring further abroad to solve the labour skill shortage and disruptions these international brands are currently outsourcing to other more established OS destinations.

Fiji’s OS industry currently employs approximately 7000 people. The Government has identified the industry as a potential future economic driver for the country, capable of creating 100,000 new jobs for Fijians over the next decade with the right incentives, infrastructure, and strategic marketing in place.

During the three-day expo, the Fijian delegation had the opportunity to engage directly with potential companies and investors. Also, it co-hosted a roundtable with the Shared Service and Outsourcing Network to create a customer-centric service and how Fiji’s outsourcing sector remained resilient during the pandemic with the government’s recognition of OS as an essential service industry.

This is the first time Fiji has participated in the annual European SSOW.