Capgemini Group, one of the world’s largest IT services, management consulting and outsourcing companies, announced a plan to invest $4.2 million to set up its US subsidiary in Charlotte, North Carolina. The new investment is expected to add over 550 local jobs in the area over the next three years of operations. Once the office is built in Charlotte, Capgemini plans to focus its business on banking, insurance and capital-markets to encourage companies to join the outsourcing industry.

Roy Stansbury, Managing Director, said that Capgemini is still finalizing the details of the investment plan. “Capgemini hasn’t finalized its office site. The company is targeting uptown Charlotte for the office and would occupy about 50,000 square feet when the operation is completely built out.” Stansbury noted that by the end of the year, the company aims to hire about 150 staff under its application development and maintenance units. He also noted that the state of North Carolina officials have been very supportive to Capgemini and that the company is grateful for for it. “I don’t think Capgemini — without the sort of reception that we received, as we started to look at where we would put a major development center — would have been here without the encouragement that we received. We certainly understand why Charlotte is regularly ranked as a great place to live and work in the United States. That makes a big difference to us.”

The state Economic Investment Committee awarded the company a Job Development Investment Grant worth $3.93 million. A member of the governor’s office added: “The state helped the local chamber in recruiting Capgemini, assisted by the city and county, Charlotte Center City Partners and N.C. Community Colleges. No local incentives are being provided.” Mayor Bev Perdue also expressed his excitement over the investment project. “This is a big deal for North Carolina and Charlotte.”