Dialogue with Harvard Business School Publishing
By Paul Catiang

Taking advantage of the opportunities available in the call centers and other companies in the business process outsourcing industry only begins with enhancing and developing the English communication skills of the workforce. In the Philippines, while the industry is growing quickly, it still lacks competent leaders to take full advantage of the growth.

To take the need for leaders a step further, John Clements organized a dialogue between Harvard Business School Publishing and several leaders from outsourcing companies on October 11, 2006, at the Makati Shangri-La. The aim of the dialogue was the creation of a management and leadership development curriculum for the BPO industry in the Philippines. The end objective is to determine the appropriate scope for such an offering. The meeting was presided over by Mr. Peter McAteer, Vice President and Managing Director Corporate Learning of HBSP.

The event was attended by Carol Dominguez, President and CEO of John Clements; Cesar Averia, President and CEO of EDI Staffbuilders; Mario Biscocho, Vice President and Managing Director of John Clements; and Chris Kohlwes, Director for Training. Guest attendees of this dialogue include outsourcing leaders such as Barry Marshall, VP and Operations Director, JP Morgan Chase; Nadine Segovia, University Relations and HR, Dell; Lirio Ongpin Mapa, VP, Franklin Covey Organization Services, Center for Leadership & Change, Inc.; Alicia Rita Morales, President and CEO, Manuel Morales Management, Inc.; Rosalie Montenegro, President, ePLDT Ventus; Alberto L. Santos, VP Operations, ePLDT Ventus; Neil D. Elias, Director, Lexicon Consulting Group; Jinno Ordoñez, Headstrong; Guy Mills, President, Manulife Financial Business Processing Services; Ricardo Moran, Director of Operations, OfficeTiger Philippines Corp.; Graham Hitchmough, HSBC EDPPI; Phil Hidalgo, John Clements; and Dan Reyes, Country Manager of ClientLogic.