Facebook's new London office has officially opened – a project that, by the end of 2018, will add 800 staff to its UK workforce, half of them engineers.

UK becomes Facebook’s largest engineering hub outside US

The social media giant's seven-storey office in Rathbone Place, near Oxford Street in London's West End, will boost the firm's UK workforce to 2,300, making Britain Facebook's largest engineering hub outside of the US.Included in the 247,000 square foot development is LDN_LAB, an 'incubator space' for start-up businesses, which, from February, will help kick-start fledgling businesses.“Today’s announcements show that Facebook is more committed than ever to the UK and in supporting the growth of the country’s innovative start-ups,” said Nicola Mendelsohn, vice-president of Facebook’s European operations.“The UK’s flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem and international reputation for engineering excellence makes it one of the best places in the world to build a tech company.“And we’ve built our company here – this country has been a huge part of Facebook’s story over the past decade, and I look forward to continuing our work to achieve our mission of bringing the world closer together.”

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Social media investment important to UK tech growth

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond welcomed the opening of the new facility. "It's a sign of confidence in our country that innovative companies like Facebook invest here, and it's terrific news that they will be hiring 800 more highly skilled workers next year," he said.London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that Facebook’s new office would be a "crucial" part of London’s expanding hi-tech scene.“The emphasis on engineering and the 800 new jobs being created shows London remains at the forefront of global innovation,” he said.“What’s more, the launch of the company’s incubator is set to play a crucial role in attracting vital talent to London and will help to pave the way for the next generation of successful start-ups.”

Amazon doubles UK R&D staff

The Facebook office, designed by architect Frank Gehry, follows the opening during the summer of Amazon's new HQ in London, where the company is now involved in doubling its R&D staff in the UK to 900 and expanding its total workforce in the country to 24,000.Meanwhile, Google has confirmed plans to build a new head office in London’s King’s Cross district and create 3,000 jobs. The 11-storey 'landscraper', designed by Thomas Heatherwick, will form part of Google’s London campus, eventually employing 7,000 people.Read more about current issues facing global mobility professionals in the Winter issue of our magazine, coming soon.For related news and features, visit our Technology section. Look out for the launch of 2018's Relocate Awards, entry open in January.Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory

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