SPi Global CEO Is 2011 Expat of the Year

MANILA, PHILIPPINES--(Marketwire - Nov 15, 2011) - SPi Global President and CEO Maulik Parekh has been chosen as the country's 2011 Expatriate of the Year during the Asia CEO Awards, a prestigious event organized by some of Asia's leading business people.

The award recognizes non-Filipino citizens who have led their organizations in achieving measurable success in making a strong contribution to the country's economic development.

The criteria include proof of having led an organization to a new level of growth, achievement and recognition; major financial contribution, international recognition, pioneering achievements, and social commitment to the country. The judges of the Asia CEO Awards included some of the most respected and accomplished figures in business and academe.

The Asia CEO Awards, presented by American Express, seeks to promote the Philippines worldwide through an alliance of local and international business people who recognize excellence and leadership in individuals and teams.

When Maulik was announced winner for this award, his contributions to the country's economic development through his promotion and support of the BPO industry were highlighted. In only five years of stay in the Philippines as head of two major BPO companies in the country, Maulik has helped generate thousands of jobs for Filipinos, raked in millions of dollars in service export revenues to the Philippine economy, and pioneered regional BPO expansion, thus dispersing the benefits of the industry to the provinces.

In accepting his award, Parekh gave credit to the employees of SPi Global who work hard to make the organization what it is today. "This award is not for myself. It truly belongs to the 18,000-strong men and women of the company who should be given recognition for making the job easy for me with the value that they bring for the company's success," Maulik said.

Highlighting that his stint in the Philippines was more about learning from Filipinos than him teaching Filipinos what he knows, Maulik also attributes his success to learning from a great Filipino leader who Maulik considers as a mentor, SPi Global's chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, who himself was an awardee in last year's Asia CEO awards as the Global Filipino Executive.

About SPi Global

SPi Global, BPO Company of the Year in the 2011 International ICT Awards, is a leading globally recognized, full-service BPO provider with 30 offices and facilities around the world, including the US, Netherlands, Philippines, India, Vietnam and Australia. It has over 18,000 employees delivering a wide range of solutions in Customer Relationship Management, Content and Healthcare.

SPi Global is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the leading telecommunications provider in the Philippines. PLDT is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PHP: TEL), and its American Depositary Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: PHI).

For more information, visit http://www.spi-global.com.