A recent survey of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) executives in the Philippines revealed that 80% of respondents’ firms have been affected in some way by the Global Financial Crisis that began in 2008. However, almost 60% of respondents said their firms have developed new service offerings in response to the crisis, suggesting that adversity was also generating opportunity for well-managed, innovative BPO services providers.

The Global Financial Crisis may be the most visible economic development affecting the BPO and other industries, but it is not the only major potential threat. Populist political rhetoric against outsourcing is on the rise, as is protectionist sentiment in many countries.

On October 20 and 21, 2009, the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) will conduct a major international conference, “International Outsourcing Summit: Global Market Leaders Addressing Global Issues,” to provide a venue for global BPO executives to discuss these issues and other threats and opportunities emerging for the industry. The conference will feature speakers and panelists from country associations and industry leading BPOs the world over.

For these two days in October, top global industry executives will debate the future of BPO and provide insights into how the Global Financial Crisis and other factors are not merely affecting the industry, but reshaping it.

According to Everest Research Institute and other industry observers, the stakes are enormous. In its most recent report, Everest said that BPO globally has an “addressable market opportunity of US$220-280 billion.” Much of that opportunity is increasingly complex and value added. When asked to estimate the value-add of their service offerings, 97% of BPO survey respondents in the Philippines said their companies provide moderate, high, or very high value-added services.

While that is good news, is the industry prepared to capitalize on this opportunity? Can educational infrastructure meet the demand for knowledge workers who can perform increasingly complex work? How and to what extent will external threats affect this opportunity? For the opportunity to gain insights into these questions based on the perspective of the industries most influential executives and analysts, confirm your reservation today for the International Outsourcing Summit.