In wake of acquisition, firm looks within for executive hire

TAMPA — Ian Barkin has been appointed chief strategy and marketing office at Sykes Enterprises Inc., a Tampa-based outsourcing company.

According to a press release, Barkin joined the firm in November when his previous company — Symphony Ventures Inc., which he co-founded — was acquired by Sykes, which generated $1.63 billion in revenue in 2018, up from $1.59 billion in 2017.

In the release, Sykes CEO Chuck Sykes says the acquisition of Symphony, coupled with Barkin’s appointment, makes the firm one of the world’s first business process outsourcers that’s equipped with significant automation capability.

“Bringing Ian aboard is paramount to quickly and efficiently combining Symphony’s capabilities with those of Sykes and our other recent investments,” Sykes states in the release. “Ian will help drive the organization to the next level, working with the team to advance the Sykes brand and service suite.”

In his new role, the release states, Barkin will lead Sykes’ commitment to being the digital partner of choice for leading enterprise brands.

“The visionary leadership at Sykes is shaping the evolution of outsourcing,” Barkin notes. “They recognize an imperative to transform and have created an unrivaled portfolio of the capabilities that enterprises are looking for in a digital transformation partner. I am proud and excited to join this team and, together, define and build the future of work.”