Wesfarmers

Financial Context

Illustrative wage differential: if the 750+ reported offshore roles were instead employed in Australia at average local rates, the additional cost could be in the order of ~$64M/yr (~2.6% of reported net profit). This is an estimate based on industry averages, not company-specific data.

Would this company be profitable without offshoring?

Every dollar paid offshore leaves the Australian economy — reducing local wages, tax receipts, and economic circulation. Why it matters

Financial data: FY2024. Estimate uses avg AU employment cost of $110,000+/yr (incl. super and on-costs) vs offshore $25,000/yr (salary + on-costs). Actual figures vary by role, seniority, and location.

In Plain English

• In 2017, Wesfarmers was reported to have 750+ offshore contractors and staff.
• This represents ~0.6% when compared to its current workforce of 118,000 (illustrative comparison only — not directly reported by the company).
• 🇮🇳 750+ staff reported in India in IT, Engineering.
• Known outsourcing partners include Accenture, Tata Consultancy Services, EY.

Based on data from public sources at the dates reported. Figures may not reflect current headcount. See sources below for full attribution.

The Story

• 2017Kmart Group (Wesfarmers subsidiary) established KAS Services in Bangalore with one employee in a temporary office. [Anko GCC]
• 2019KAS Services moved into a fully tech-enabled office in Embassy Manyata Tech Park, Bangalore, with capacity for 450 team members. [Anko GCC]
• 2020Bunnings set up a dedicated technology development centre in Bangalore, separate from the Kmart operation. [iTnews]
• 2025KAS Services rebranded to Anko. The Bangalore centre had grown to over 350 team members providing services in IT, inventory, analytics, finance, and an "accelerator" innovation function. [Anko GCC]

All facts sourced from public reporting. No editorial commentary. Click source links to verify.