CHINESE TECH GIANT HUAWEI OPENS NEW OFFICES AT SALFORD'S MEDIACITYUK

The new office space located in the Blue Tower building at the flourishing MediaCityUK complex, is the company’s first in the North West of England and will serve as a base of operations for Huawei as it looks to develop its business in the Northern Powerhouse. The office will house several of Huawei’s key business operations including customer account teams, the Huawei Network Design Centre and Huawei’s Delivery Operations Center for the north of the UK. Initially upwards of 50 roles will be allocated at the new facility, with a view to doubling that headcount by 2022.

The MediaCityUK complex has gained a reputation for being an international hub for technology, innovation and creativity. Greater Manchester is also home to one of the fastest growing digital technology sectors in Europe.

Victor Zhang, Huawei Group President of Government Affairs said:

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“This new office based in Greater Manchester further signifies Huawei’s continued commitment to the UK. We pride ourselves on our track record of investing at a regional level and stimulating local job creation also. Where better to base ourselves than at MediaCityUK which with its reputation for fostering creativity and innovation is attracting a host of other large scale international businesses. We look forward to partnering with Greater Manchester to assist it in its goal to become the UK’s leading digital hotspot.”

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor said:

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“The digital tech industry in the North West turned over £4.98 billion in 2018 and Greater Manchester boasts the largest number of digital workers in the UK outside of London. Next generation technology alongside 5G will have a massive impact on our city over the next decade, it is therefore vital that we continue to attract top tech talent to the city – the arrival of Huawei who are a key player further cements this city and Salford in particular as the emerging tech hotspot in the UK”.

Jerry Wang, Huawei UK CEO said:

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“We are delighted to announce our first facility in the heart of the Northern Powerhouse and birthplace of the first industrial revolution. The North West is an important region for Huawei as we look to continue our growth in the UK. Greater Manchester’s talented workforce and emerging tech scene make it an exciting city to invest in, the city is now at the forefront of healthcare and university tech-led innovations today.”

Rhys Whalley, Executive Director, Manchester China Forum said:  

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“We are immensely pleased to welcome today’s announcement from Huawei, which will generate in excess of 50 jobs and add greatly to the economic and technological value of our region. Huawei’s new facility in MediaCityUK marks another great milestone in the relationship between China and Greater Manchester. For Huawei as a global leading brand to select Greater Manchester underlines the strength and specialist skills of our tech ecosystem. We look forward to supporting the growth of the Huawei team in the months and years to come.”

Stephen Wild, Managing Director of MediaCityUK said:

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“Huawei’s decision to base part of its UK operations here further demonstrates MediaCityUK to be a leading creative, technological and digital hub in the UK. Over the next decade MediaCityUK is set to expand physically and evolve digitally, meaning we can welcome even more cutting edge organisations from a variety of sectors and host more incubator and accelerator programmes. Our 5G infrastructure will support these advancements and will also enable us to test and hone our smart city ambitions.”

“It’s great to see companies such as Huawei choosing Greater Manchester as the area to open their new base of operations” said tech expert Dan Sodergren. “The creative and digital tech scene in the north is growing at a phenomenal rate. With Salford and The Landing, where the new base will be centred, having one of the highest economic growth rates in Greater Manchester. Now with Huawei bringing their innovations and infrastructure investment collaborating together with other great tech companies here. Over the coming years - we should see that economic growth continue to rise and rise."

Huawei and the North West

Huawei supports *26,200 jobs across the UK both directly and indirectly including 2,200 in the North West of England. Before the opening of the new office in Greater Manchester, Huawei held many important partnerships with local institutions across the city including an R&D collaboration with the University of Manchester conceived in 2015. This alongside the skills training and support it provides to local businesses.

In 2018, Huawei’s Consumer Business Group partnered with British Pop Star Rita Ora to provide a free concert at the Intu Trafford Centre to celebrate the launch of its P20 Lite smartphone.

Seeds for the Future

Earlier this year, 10% of the students inducted onto Huawei’s Seeds for the Future Scholarship Programme where from the University of Manchester. The 2019 programme saw 50 UK STEM students taken to China to visit Huawei’s HQ in Shenzhen and its research facilities in Beijing. The programme shows students what it’s like to work for a large scale multinational organisation and how modern technologies such as 5G, the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence are developed and made useful for society.

Huawei 5G Experiential

Huawei’s 5G Demo Truck will also be making an appearance at MediaCityUK, demonstrating 5G consumer case studies. Members of the public can fully experience virtual reality galaxies, streaming a live gig in 360° to friends or seeing how future smartphones will morph into tablets. Businesses and professionals will learn how cloud computing and VR will make education fully interactive and immersive.

*2018 Figures: The Economic Impact of Huawei in the UK Report