IBM Consulting launches new Japan Innovation Hub in Cebu City to meet rapidly growing business demand

CEBU CITY,Philippines,Feb. 27,2023 --IBM (NYSE: IBM) Consulting announced the expansion of its Client Innovation Center (CIC) with the launch of its second Japan Innovation Hub in Cebu City to meet the growing needs of Japanese clients for Business Continuity Plan (BCP) support,the increasing use of ISV/SasS,and the demand for more digital transformation professionals.

Launch of new IBM's Japan Innovation Hub in Cebu city

The Philippines is a strong market for human resource development,with the median age at 25.3 years,and a large number of digital transformation professionals with Japanese-language skill. According toGlobalData Plc,the ICT market in the Philippines is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 8% to $20.6 billion by 2026,from $14.04 billion in 2021.

IBM Consulting's Cebu Japan Innovation Hub is built in the Philippines CIC,which has brought automation,analytics,and AI to servemore than 200 clients around the world with 24x7 operations since 2004. Philippines CIC supports 15languages,including English,Mandarin and Japanese,and has been assisting Japanese clients with project delivery since 2016.

Building on IBM's deep technology knowledge and an over decade-long of its Philippines CIC cross-industry expertise,the Japan Innovation hub in Cebu will be manned by Filipino talents skilled in data analytics,AI,hybrid cloud transformation,application management,supply chain,finance and procurement,to support IBM Consulting's Japanese clients in their digital transformation journey.

This new regional near-shore-location and off-shore-location digital transformation (DX) center was established in Cebu after other launches in China,India,and Manila. Cebu City has emerged as world's number one emerging outsourcing destinationdue to its talented pool of professionals.

About IBM

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Paranee Reymondon

External Relations Leader for IBM ASEANZK

Email: paranee@th.ibm.com