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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIT consulting giant Infosys Ltd. plans to build a campus on a 125-acre site at Indianapolis International Airport that will employ some 3,000 people—1,000 more than it originally announced, a source with knowledge of the project told IBJ on Tuesday.
Infosys announced last May it planned to open an $8.7 million tech and innovation hub in Indianapolis and has started by locating employees at the OneAmerica Tower downtown. But it was always clear the company would need more space.
On Thursday, Infosys officials plan to join Vice President Mike Pence, Gov. Eric Holcomb and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett for an announcement about the project. The source, who asked not to be named, said the hub will be at the site of the airport's former terminal, parking lot and garage. State and local incentives are expected to be part of the deal.
Jared Evans, whose district includes the airport, said the city has been working to put Infosys at the airport property for some time.
“Without knowing all the [financial] details, we’ve been really excited for the potential for this property,” Evans said. “I think it’s going to be the type of development that’s transformative for the neighborhood.”
The source told IBJ the pay scale for the jobs would be $66,000 to $120,000.
Salil Parehh, who became CEO of Bangalore, India-based Infosys in January, told Bloomberg News earlier this month that the company was planning to build a massive training center in Indiana as part of its U.S. expansion plans. An Infosys media relations official has repeatedly declined to comment specifically about that claim. And on Tuesday, she would not provide details about the upcoming jobs announcement.
“Infosys has always stated our intent to invest more in training and reskilling efforts in Indiana and are currently reviewing several opportunities to expand our capabilities and better serve our valued clients in the state,” the company said in a written statement in response to IBJ questions.
The state also declined to provide any details about the announcement.
Infosys has already announced big plans for Indianapolis. In May 2017, it said it planned to open a tech and innovation hub in Indianapolis that could lead to the hiring of 2,000 high-skill employees by the end of 2021. The Indiana hub is the first of four Infosys plans to open in the United States that will employ a total of 10,000 workers, the company said. Others are in Rhode Island, North Carolina and Connecticut.
The company has since leased 35,000 square feet on two floors of OneAmerica Tower, where it has about 150 employees. The company said it will add more space or facilities as it ramps up employment.
In August, Infosys announced a five-year partnership with Purdue University to provide classes and training for up to 10,000 potential employees.
Infosys, which employs 200,000 people around the world, said the Indianapolis operations will focus on technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, user experience, emerging digital technologies, cloud and big data. Infosys clients include key industries such as financial services, manufacturing, health care, retail and energy.
Pence had been expected to talk about tax cuts Thursday at an event in Carmel hosted by America First Policies, a not-for-profit that supports President Donald Trump’s agenda.
But America First Policies announced Tuesday that the event has been postponed until May 18. No other details were shared.
The Indiana Democratic Party was quick to attack the decision, though. The party sent out a press release shortly after the update from America First Policies, accusing Pence of postponing the trip to avoid getting involved with Indiana’s U.S. Senate Republican primary race.
U.S. Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita and former state lawmaker Mike Braun are running in the primary and hoping to face Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in the fall.
Pence has not formally endorsed any of the candidates and had not been expected to do so on Thursday.
“Vice President Pence’s decision to wait until after the May election to talk about the disastrous McConnell tax plan is a cowardly move by a man who doesn’t want to be associated with the toxic GOP in-fighting,” Michael Feldman, spokesman for the Indiana Democratic Party said in a written statement. “The constant attacks between congressmen Messer and Rokita and Rep. Braun have created such a nasty race that even the former governor can’t run away from it fast enough.”
The time and location of the May 18 event have not been released.
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