Madrid, February 27, 2024. COFIDES is accompanying the company Abai, specialised in business process outsourcing (BPO), in its expansion in Brazil. Through a co-investment loan of EUR 2.5 million, it will help finance the acquisition of Parla!, a leading customer experience company which specialises in the financial and insurance sectors. This contribution will be made from the Fund for Foreign Investment (FIEX) and COFIDES' own resources.
With this operation, Abai is able to consolidate its position as a benchmark player in the sector, strengthening its activity in the second largest BPO market in the world, strengthening its position as a pioneer in the development and implementation of personalised Digital Humans with Artificial Intelligence technology through its WeHumans business unit. Parla! has extensive experience and a broad portfolio of clients, which will allow the Spanish company to offer a more customised service, combining state-of-the-art technology, integrated logistics and strategic management.
The centre, close to São Paulo, is located in a complex larger than 2,300 m2, with capacity for more than 2,100 workstations and designed to provide 24-hour service.
This project will benefit from the COFIDES Impact programme, through which COFIDES supports investment projects that generate a positive impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this case, the price subsidy on the financing of the variable sustainability component will be linked to the development of a decent employment plan for the acquired company.
The corporate director of COFIDES' Investment Department, Miguel Ángel Ladero, stressed that "at COFIDES we are pleased to contribute to the internationalisation process of Abai, a company that is committed to digital transformation and innovation, especially in a market as relevant as Brazil, with great growth potential for the business process outsourcing sector in the coming years".
This operation contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 5 (Gender equality), 8 (Decent work and economic growth), 10 (Reducing inequalities).
ABOUT ABAI
ABAI is a Spanish company which focuses on helping other companies to effectively manage their customer relationships through process outsourcing and digital transformation. Our innovative technological solutions allow you to improve and optimise the operations, recruitment procedures and back office of any company through the best automation tools.
To achieve this, we have combined our expertise in technology, consulting and analytics with heavy investments in robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Developing the best capabilities in process transformation.
Abai is a pioneer in the development and implementation of customised Digital Humans with Artificial Intelligence technology, through its WeHumans business unit and has launched Armatum, the first AI-enabled platform that helps organisations obtain a quantitative economic assessment of Cyber Risk through a combination of standards, statistical methods and simulation based on the Open FAIR™ standard.
Abai has 15 service centres located in Spain, Colombia, Portugal, Brazil and Peru where more than 10,000 professionals work with solid and extensive experience in different areas of specialisation, handling 150 million interactions a year in 10 different languages.
ABOUT COFIDES
COFIDES is a state-owned enterprise specialized in the management of State funds that provide medium- and long-term financing for private investments linked to different public policy purposes. COFIDES directly manages funds aimed at supporting the internationalization of Spanish firms, strengthening the solvency of companies severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to attract foreign direct investment into Spain through co-investment deals and to contribute to the growth of the impact investment ecosystem in Spain. In addition, COFIDES supports the management of the financial cooperation portfolio of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, promoting sustainable development in emerging economies and developing countries. In the ownership structure of the Company, the Spanish State holds 53% of the equity. The remaining 47% is held by Banco Santander, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Banco Sabadell and Development Bank of Latin America (CAF).
