Calcutta, Aug. 3: Bengal has a new brand ambassador to polish its image and help it realise its business potential, especially in the showpiece IT and ITES sector.

The state government has decided to work closely with Ma Foi Management Consultants Ltd, a part of Vedior NV, following a meeting with top officials of the global human resources major on Wednesday. Vedior NV is the third-largest staffing company in the world with a presence in 37 countries.

“We want to showcase our inherent strengths through them, since they are opinion-makers; and they have agreed to act as brand ambassadors for Bengal. The alliance should help us leverage each other’s core competence,” IT secretary G.D. Gautama said.

“Yes, the IT department sees us as chosen HR (human resources) partners for facilitating incoming investment; and our bandwidth really makes us a one-stop shop for staffing solutions, by helping companies make informed choices,” said Brian Wilkinson, Commonwealth zone manager, Vedior NV.

Wilkinson and his colleague E. Balaji, executive director, staffing solutions, Ma Foi Management Consultants Ltd, were taken through a full-scale presentation highlighting the growth and investment opportunities in the state’s infotech sector.

“It was mighty impressive and we are convinced that there’s a lot going for Calcutta,” said Wilkinson.

Ma Foi has identified some of the areas in which the city enjoys and edge: intellectual resources, low churn rates (high customer loyalty), modest wages and formidable accounting skills.

“Calcutta is third on the national scale in terms of job creation, behind only Chennai and Bangalore,” Balaji said.

The Left is keen to make the most of this favourable climate. “We want to work alongside Ma Foi and utilise our respective databases effectively to help business grow in Bengal,” IT minister Manab Mukherjee said.

The HR giant, with 45 centres spread over 40 locations in India, is eager to reciprocate, having already set up six satellite centres to serve the eastern region, including one in Siliguri, a new IT thrust area.

While IT and ITES have been the principal drivers of growth in the state, “a lot of other segments have grown quietly as well”, for instance, manufacturing, which has shown a 25 per cent growth, Wilkinson stressed.

He suggested more roadshows and aggressive branding. “Be proud of what you are and don’t look backwards” was his mantra for a “buoyant Bengal”.