Building a Successful Finance Outsourcing Partnership in Nepal

“DEPT® is a global marketing technology agency with more than 4,000 employees worldwide. For the past five years, we have outsourced certain transactional and strategic finance functions, along with selected back-office support activities, to Nepal.

 

When I joined DEPT®, I inherited an existing partnership in Nepal with Shankar Associates, Chartered Accountants, and Four Symmetrons. The setup was already working well. There was trust, the quality of work was consistent, and the teams understood our expectations. Rather than questioning the arrangement, my focus quickly shifted to understanding whether we could responsibly expand our finance operations further in Nepal with our partner.

 

From Outsourcing to Partnership

Finance outsourcing today looks very different from how it did a decade ago. It is no longer only about cost. For us, it has become a strategic choice, centered on reliability, continuity, and long-term value. Equally important is working with partners who care about their people and the society around them.

 

Like many global organizations, we face ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining skilled finance professionals, managing rising costs, and keeping pace with change. In that context, the choice of location and partner matters as much as systems and processes. Based on my experience, Nepal has proven to be a strong and credible option, offering capable talent, resilience, and a genuine sense of responsibility.

 

Starting Small and Learning Together

Our journey in Nepal began carefully. We started with a small team handling clearly defined finance processes. The goal was simple: build confidence on both sides before scaling.

 

What stood out early on was the team’s mindset. They did not just complete what was asked of them. They asked questions, wanted to understand the broader context, and were genuinely interested in how things could be done better. That curiosity and willingness to learn helped build trust quickly and shifted the relationship away from a task-based model toward a true partnership.

 

Talent That Goes Beyond Execution

Based on our experience it is clear that Nepal has a growing pool of finance professionals with strong fundamentals. Many are qualified, or working toward qualifications such as CA, ACCA, or CPA. Communication has been smooth, supported by a high level of English proficiency.

 

Over time, what impressed me most was not just technical capability, but ownership. Teams became increasingly confident in managing work independently, maintaining quality, and meeting deadlines. They did not limit themselves to execution alone. They actively supported process standardization across regions and contributed ideas around automation and efficiency. By challenging manual steps and helping simplify workflows, they have played a role in strengthening our finance operations and keeping us competitive in a fast-moving global environment.

 

Operational Readiness and Resilience

Concerns about infrastructure are common when considering newer outsourcing destinations. In practice based on our experience with our Partner, Nepal has proven operationally ready. Connectivity, secure office environments, and familiarity with global finance systems have supported stable day-to-day operations.

 

Data security and confidentiality are taken seriously, with clear protocols and controls embedded into daily work. These practices have continued to mature over time, giving us the confidence to expand the scope of activities entrusted to the teams.

 

The resilience of the teams has also been notable. Even during challenging periods, including natural disruptions or unexpected societal/political challenges, work continuity has been maintained. This reliability reflects both professionalism and a strong cultural commitment to responsibility.

 

People, Society, and Shared Impact

An important part of our partnership in Nepal is the shared focus on people and social impact. By building and growing finance teams locally, we are contributing to sustainable job creation and long-term career development in Nepal.

 

Beyond employment, our partnership also supports broader societal initiatives. Through this collaboration, a portion of the revenue generated is contributed toward child education initiatives in Nepal, alongside support for other community-focused projects. While these efforts are modest, they are meaningful and align closely with DEPT®’s wider impact strategy as a B-corp certified company. For us, this makes the partnership more purposeful and reinforces its long-term value.

 

Looking Ahead

Based on my experience, Nepal should not be seen simply as an emerging outsourcing destination. It is a proven hub for credible and dependable finance and accounting outsourcing services. With skilled talent, a strong work ethic, resilience in challenging circumstances, and a growing focus on continuous improvement, we have seen that Nepal offers far more than cost efficiency.

 

For organizations considering finance outsourcing, Nepal deserves serious consideration as a location capable of supporting long-term, value-driven, and responsible partnerships.”

— Nicola Rowlands, Global SVP, Deputy CFO at DEPT®

 

 

“In 2022 we made the decision to open our first offshore accounting venture in Nepal after having exposure to their professional work ethic and dedication on a software development project that we had undergone over the previous couple of years. We were immediately impressed with their education level and ability to speak the English language. The won us over. We wanted them to be on our team even though Nepal was off the radar of most US based companies. Nepal was unexplored at that time when it came to this industry, but to us it quickly proved to be one of the best strategic shifts in our business model. We found a culture of honesty, integrity, and positivity that mirrored our domestic team. The combination of strong technical capability, cost efficiency, and a rich, people-centered work ethic gave us the confidence to expand the team quickly. A handful of early hires has steadily grown into a 75+ team for whom we consider an integral part of who we are, not an extension or an offshore unit only. That sense of unity has been central to our journey so far and our success as well.

The Nepal team has become one of the strongest pillars of NOW CFO’s growth vision. Their work has provided scalability and agility that we hoped for as well as the quality, allowing us to deliver faster turnaround times and extend support to clients around the clock. From core accounting such activities such as bookkeeping, reconciliations, month-end close, forecasting, etc. to marketing, recruiting, and other corporate functions, our Nepal team has always been exceeding the expectations. Nepal has not only supported our growth; it has shaped it to an extension of who we are now and how we will look in the future"

— Randy Christensen, CEO NOW CFO

 

 

“Ballards Global’s Journey in Nepal:  Our journey in Nepal over the past seven years has been one of strategic growth, capability building, and sustained value creation. When Ballards Global first established operations in Nepal, our objective was not cost arbitrage, but the development of a high-quality professional services hub aligned with global standards in audit, accounting, and advisory.

 

Nepal has consistently exceeded expectations. The availability of highly capable and motivated professionals, particularly ACCA, ICAN, and ICAI-qualified talent, combined with strong work ethics and adaptability, has enabled us to build teams that seamlessly support complex international engagements across the UK, Middle East, Europe, and other markets. Today, our two offices in Kathmandu house over 50 qualified professionals delivering audit, IFRS advisory, tax, and managed services at a level fully integrated with our global operations.

 

What distinguishes Nepal as a BPO/KPO destination is not only talent and cost efficiency, but the ability to scale responsibly, retain knowledge, and build long-term institutional capability. With improving digital infrastructure, regulatory maturity, and a growing professional ecosystem, Nepal has proven to be a reliable and value-adding partner rather than merely an outsourcing location.

Based on our experience, Nepal represents a sustainable, strategic destination for international accounting and professional services firms seeking quality, continuity, and growth. Our success here reinforces our confidence in Nepal as an integral part of the global professional services landscape.”

— Dr. Shah Nawaz (Shaz) Khan

Chief Executive Officer, Ballards Global

Chartered Accountant | ICAEW Council Member