An online fashion retailer is to invest £14 million (€16.4 million) in a new tech hub in Belfast, creating 184 jobs over the next three years.
The North's Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said the decision by Asos to establish the tech hub was a “clear vote of confidence” in Northern Ireland.
Mr Lyons said: “The development of the new Belfast tech hub and the creation of over 180 jobs represents a significant investment in Northern Ireland by the company.
“In return, our talent base will provide Asos with the high quality engineering resources it needs to deliver its international growth plans.
“Once in place, the new jobs will contribute almost £6.5 million in additional annual salaries to the local economy.
“Of the new roles, 130 will participate in my department’s pre-employment assured skills training programme which will offer the company a pipeline of skilled people over the next three years.”
Nick Beighton, chief executive of Asos, said: “As a rapidly growing business at the forefront of online retailing, we’re continually investing in our technology capabilities.
“Our new hub will provide us with cutting-edge tech expertise to support future growth. Belfast has a wealth of tech talent and we’re excited to be establishing a permanent base in such a vibrant city.”
The new Belfast hub will be operational in early 2022, with 52 dedicated roles in the first year, growing to 184 by 2024, with recruitment already under way.
Stormont business support agency Invest NI has offered almost £1.2 million of support towards the new software engineering roles and the Department for the Economy is funding pre-employment training to the value of almost £1 million over three years.
Kevin Holland, Invest NI’s chief executive said: “I’m delighted to welcome Asos to Northern Ireland.
“Securing this project is yet another tremendous endorsement of our compelling value proposition which includes our highly educated population, underpinned by some of the best educational facilities in the UK.
“The new roles will offer a range of opportunities for software engineers and analysts, development opportunities for those in the early stages of their tech careers and will provide exciting pathways for people to join Northern Ireland’s digital workforce.”
