Video conferencing app Zoom Video Communications said on Dec. 15, 2020 that the company will be setting up a research and development centre in Singapore, as part of its plan to expand its presence in the country.

Zoom to hire hundreds of engineering staff for new operations in S'pore

The company will also be hiring hundreds of engineering staff for the new operation, according to Reuters.

Zoom will also be doubling its capacity at its data centre in Singapore launched earlier in August this year.

"Singapore is pro-business, ranks as one of the friendliest countries to set up a company, and continues to be a favorite for regional headquarters as it boasts exceptional talent, strong infrastructure, and is a perfect gateway for engaging the wider APAC region," said Velchamy Sankarlingam, President of Product and Engineering for Zoom.

He added that the company plans to leverage on Singapore's "highly-educated engineering talent pool" to immediately hire more employees, mentioning that the new R&D centre and existing data centre will be critical to Zoom's expansion internationally.

"Zoom has changed the realm of what we thought was possible. We can work from anywhere rather than a fixed location. We can brainstorm, learn or even have dinner and drinks together remotely," said Chng Kai Fong, the Managing Director of the Economic Development Board (EDB).

According to Zoom's media release, the launch of a R&D center in Singapore represents Zoom’s strategy of developing its leading communications technology in multiple locations globally.

Zoom's rapid growth in 2020

There are currently 12 open roles based in Singapore, according to Zoom's career portal.

2020 has been a massive year for Zoom, after seeing its revenue soar over four times compared to 2019.

According to CNBC, as of September 2020, the company's market cap sat at more than US$129 billion, up from $25 billion a year ago.

Its user base saw a tremendous increase after businesses and organisations turned to telecommuting and virtual meetings as the Covid-19 pandemic rapidly spread across the world.

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