Facebook to create 500 new jobs with opening of London HQ
US tech giant Facebook has pledged to create over 500 jobs with the opening of its new London headquarters next year, in a sign that global companies are still not shying away from Britain in the aftermath of Brexit.
The new employees will be hired in the fields of engineering, marketing and project management next year. The headquarters will be opening in Fitzrovia in central London.
Rejecting a common opinion that ultimately Britain's withdrawal from the European Union would be bad for business, executive Nicola Mendelsohn said that for tech companies it's still an ideal environment.
"The UK remains one of the best places to be a tech company and is an important part of Facebookâs story," Mendelsohn will say on Monday at a speech announcing the news.
"Many of those new roles will be high-skilled engineering jobs as the UK is home to our largest engineering base outside of the US," Ms Mendelsohn said, vice-president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Facebook.
Just last week, Google also pledged to create a significant number of new jobs in the UK, expanding its workforce from 4,000 to 7,000 in the next four years.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said the news gave an indication that Brexit has not put off businesses.
"Facebook's decision to expand in London is further evidence that London's strength as a tech hub keeps on growing," Khan said.
"The capital's vibrant tech scene is the envy of Europe and Facebook's continuing commitment is another sign that London is open to talent, innovation and entrepreneurship."