GUEST COMMENT: Investment banks are outsourcing more front office jobs to India, but don't be scared

For investment banks, the financial crisis has cemented a trend that

started five years ago. Outsourcing, which was once confined to junior and back office processes, has now moved to more business-critical functions such as equity and capital markets research.

The high-end business-critical processes which are now being outsourced can include the creation and delivery of customized proprietary research and analytic solutions such as relative valuation, financial modelling, industry thematic studies and knowledge management.

Financial firms in London and New York who outsource these functions

achieve more leverage, as well as increased productivity and

flexibility, by having support teams in India.

Sceptics might say that lower cost equals lower quality, however, given that in India, companies tend to be highly specialised in specific domains, the quality of the work performed is generally of a very high standard. Outsourced talent is no longer unskilled.

At Copal Partners, we provide outsourced research and consulting for the financial sector. The majority of our employees have MBAs from top global educational establishments and over 30% are either CAs or CFAs.

If you're based in London or New York, outsourcing provides opportunities: with teams in India to provide research and analysis, onshore analyst time is freed up, enabling you to focus on client-facing activities and innovation, furthering prospects for career progression.

Joel Perlman is President and one of the Founders of Copal Partners, a leading provider of outsourced analytics, research and consulting services for the global financial services industry.