Daily Telegraph: Shell to shift IT jobs to the Far East

By Christopher Hope (Filed: 28/04/2004)

Shell, the oil major at the centre of a corporate crisis over its proven reserves, plans to lay off nearly 3,000 of its IT staff and relocate the jobs to India and Malaysia. 

It is the latest company to "offshore" jobs to Third World countries, a route most recently chosen by banks and financial institutions.

Shell said it is likely to lay off between 1,900 and 2,800 of its 9,300 IT staff. The company declined to say where the jobs were to be lost.

A spokesman said that fewer staff were needed to maintain its IT systems.

She said: "This is not just about cutting jobs. It is about looking at how we can improve efficiency by streamlining various systems and infrastructure."

About 1,000 staff are employed in the north west and the south east. Others work at locations in the Netherlands and United States.

The company has already signed a deal to create 1,000 IT jobs in Malaysia. Other contracts are due in India.

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