AstraZeneca today inaugurated a new state-of-the-art Global Technology Centre (GTC) in Chennai, to develop its world-class IT capability.  The establishment of a GTC in Chennai will help improve the IT organization’s efficiency and responsiveness while reducing costs and support 51,500 employees of AstraZeneca worldwide.

AstraZeneca has significantly invested in India based IT hub, both in terms of manpower and technology. The center will drive many of the IT tools, technologies and capabilities to that support delivery of AstraZeneca’s strategic ambitions.

At the launch event, David Smoley, chief information officer of AstraZeneca, commented, “The opening of the Global Technology Centre marks a key milestone in our journey to develop a world-class IT function for AstraZeneca.”

The newly built state-of-the-art centre will house in-house IT teams that will help grow our IT technology and operational excellence and provide support to global IT services for AstraZeneca. We’re counting on the talent assembled at this centre to help us simplify our support structures and improve our responsiveness to business needs. The centre currently employs 60 people, with the aim of expanding this to approximately 300 in the first year’. AstraZeneca has committed itself to the development of the region by employing locally and will outsource IT services only by exception.”

The company is also looking to develop additional technology centres with a second GTC planned for San Francisco in 2015.