Firstsource Solutions enters into partnership with Barclays

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-- Firstsource Solutions Vice President of Client and Strategic Relationships Nancy Maze announced today that Barclays U.S. credit card business and Firstsource Solutions Limited have entered into a partnership to manage a Barclays operations center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The multi-year partnership is expected to bring about operational enhancements for employees and customers and help both companies support their expanding operations in the U.S., according to Lloyd M. Wirshba, Chief Executive Officer of Barclays U.S. credit card business.

Barclays opened the operations center in 2005 to primarily handle customer-service calls for its U.S. credit card business. The call center currently handles approximately 15,000 inbound calls each day and employs a total of about 370 people. The operations center also provides collections and fraud-prevention services.

Firstsource, headquartered in India, will oversee day-to-day operations at the center and will leverage its operational expertise to enhance service delivery for Barclays cardmembers and partners. Firstsource employs more than 2,400 people in the U.S. and is seeking to expand its U.S. operations.

"This is an ideal partnership for Firstsource, Barclays and Colorado Springs," said Wirshba. "Firstsource brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our team, and we are delighted to work with them. This will help us support the growth of our business, enhance our capabilities and continue our tradition of providing extraordinary service to our cardmembers and partners."

"Colorado Springs is an ideal location because it blends a great workforce with a great quality of life," said Ananda Mukerji, Managing Director and CEO, Firstsource. "We are actively expanding our operations in the U.S. and this center will serve as one of our marquee locations."

"This site is a tremendous source of employment for Colorado Springs and we are excited about our future here," said Kelly Weaver, Site Director. "Firstsource has an excellent reputation and they will help us enhance the outstanding service we currently provide."

About Barclays PLC

Barclays PLC is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services. It is one of the largest financial services companies in the world by market capitalization. With over 300 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs over 127,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for over 27 million customers and clients worldwide. For further information about Barclays, please visit our website http://www.barclays.com.

Headquartered in Wilmington, DE, Barclays U.S. credit card business has more than 60 partnerships with some of the country's most successful travel, entertainment, retail and financial institutions including US Airways, AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines, Midwest Airlines, Carnival Cruise Lines, BJ's Wholesale Club, Travelocity, Gulf Oil, and others. The company employs more than 1,400 employees in Wilmington and Colorado Springs, Colo., and was named a Top Five Employer in Delaware in 2007. For more information please visit http://www.barclays.com.

About Firstsource

Firstsource is among the world's leading BPO (business process outsourcing) service providers. Firstsource provides customized business process management to global leaders in the Banking & Financial Services, Telecom & Media and Healthcare sectors. Its clients include six Fortune Global 500 banks, two Fortune Global 500 telecommunications companies and three Fortune 100 healthcare companies. Firstsource has a global delivery model with operations in India, US, UK, Argentina and Philippines. (http://www.firstsource.com)