VanceInfo Technologies

VanceInfo Technologies Inc. was an information technology services provider founded in Beijing, China, in 1995 by Chris Chen and co-founder David Chen (no relation). Initially established as Worksoft, the company began with a focus on low-end IT service outsourcing, notably securing a relationship with IBM to localize software for the Chinese market. Chris Chen, who grew up in a remote village, launched the business after identifying an opportunity that larger firms overlooked. David Chen brought extensive U.S. tech industry experience from roles at Oracle and KPMG, joining Chris in 2001 to oversee strategy and operations, which proved crucial for courting new clients and managing growth.

The firm's business model centered on providing comprehensive offshore IT services to corporations in North America, Europe, Japan, and Greater China. Its service portfolio was extensive, including R&D outsourcing, application development and maintenance (ADM), consulting, enterprise solutions, quality assurance, and globalization and localization services. The company targeted high-growth industries such as technology, telecommunications, financial services, manufacturing, and retail. Through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, such as Prosoft Technology and Envisys, VanceInfo grew rapidly, securing venture capital from notable firms like Sequoia Capital and DCM Ventures before going public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 2007.

A significant milestone occurred in November 2012, when VanceInfo completed a merger of equals with its rival, HiSoft Technology International, to form Pactera Technology International Ltd. The strategic combination created China's largest offshore IT services provider, with Chris Chen becoming the Non-Executive Chairman of the new entity. Following the merger, VanceInfo was delisted from the NYSE, and the combined company, Pactera, continued to trade on NASDAQ. The organization later evolved, and in 2020, a business unit was spun off as a separate company, Pactera EDGE, which has since rebranded as Centific.

Keywords: IT services provider, offshore software development, application development, R&D outsourcing, globalization services, localization services, IT consulting, enterprise solutions, quality assurance, application management, Chris Chen, David Chen, Worksoft, Pactera, HiSoft merger, NYSE VIT, China IT outsourcing, financial services IT, telecom IT solutions, technology outsourcing, enterprise software implementation