Bangalore: Global software products and solutions company Misys expects to double headcount at its service and development centres in Bangalore to exceed 1,000 staff by the end of next calendar year (2005).

"Our operations in Bangalore are core to our strategy and by the end of 2005, we expect to exceed 1,000 staff in Bangalore - around 15 per cent of our total headcount", the company's Chairman Kevin Lomax said in a statement in Bangalore.

"And that is simply a reflection of the speed at which the Bangalore team has established its reputation for innovation, customer service and quality", he added.

According to a company spokesperson here, Misys currently has staff strength of around 500 in its retail banking, risk management and healthcare centres in the city.

Lomax said the Bangalore service and development centres would play a critical role in ambitious plans of the company, which serves customers in the international banking, healthcare and UK general insurance industries.

In addition to traditional software development, the Bangalore centres now also address product management, professional services and customer services for clients in India and around the world, the statement said.