Mr. Collin Lloyds, is the Centre Manager for HSBC Electronic Data Processing India Pvt Ltd (HDPI)

HSBC is the first bank to set up a data processing unit here in India, what exactly does it deal with? What are the services that you propose to offer to your customers here?

We currently undertake office processing for our UK operation. There are plans to expand support to other branches of the HSBC Group the world over. Presently, we provide Account Maintenance, TT payments, Mortgage Processing and Credit functions. These are very much support functions enabling HSBC to provide excellent levels of service to our customers, and based upon evidence to date, our expectations have been realised.

What type of recruitment policy do you follow and what are the best practices that you adopt?

We look to potential employees to provide CV's in response to advertisements. We have the support of a recruitment agency and recruit all potential employees through a combination of tests and interviews, to attract and identify the right kind of candidates.

What does HSBC look for in potential employees, in terms of educational qualification and experience?

Our policy has been formed to attract graduates and above. Our success has been most encouraging and a wonderful endorsement to the wealth of talent in the country. With us, experience is not a prerequisite, what we look for are skills and talents ranging from postgraduates, teachers, hoteliers, engineers, bankers, administrators, etc.

How do you keep boosting your employee's productivity and sustain their interest in work?

We have a very open style of management and constantly encourage the teams in their day-to-day operations. We encourage employee participation and initiative.

Employee successes are celebrated and we provide an annual bonus scheme with opportunities to purchase HSBC shares through the ESOP scheme.

How different is the banking scenario in India when compared to the rest of the world? How is private banking different from public sector banking?

All banking is based on the same principles. The major differences are the regulations from country to another, ensuring the stability of banks in that particular financial environment. India is no different in maintaining a set of rules in which HSBC provides our customers a wide range of world standard products.

What are your most memorable experiences with HSBC? What does the future promise you?

Working in India has been one of my most memorable experiences. The people I have met and the places I have had the privilege to see will always live in my memory. My proudest moment has been meeting Mr. R. Venkatraman, the former president of India.

Your tenure with the bank has been extensive, can you summarise how HSBC has grown over the years? Are there any future plans in the pipeline for Hongkong Shanghai Bank Data Processing India Ltd?

I started my career working for Midland Bank in the UK, which became a member of the HSBC Group in the early nineties. Since then, through growth and acquisition, we have risen to a worldwide level of 170000 employees with 6000 offices in 81 countries and territories. During 2001 our expansion plans for HDPI will see us move into a second phase of activity in Hyderabad and take our employee numbers to over 1,000.

SAMYUKTA KODA

samyukta.hyd@careercommunity.co.in