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SNAP INC., WHICH runs the camera messaging application Snapchat, has chosen London as its international headquarters, praising the UK’s creative industries.
It comes after Facebook, Google and Apple last year announced major investments in London, underlining the capital’s status as a technology hub as Britain prepares to exit the European Union.
“I am happy to confirm that the UK is the Snap Inc. family’s hub outside the US,” a Snap spokeswoman said.
The decision to make London its main international hub differs from other tech giants including Google, Facebook and LinkedIn which chose Dublin for their Europe, Middle-East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters.
Snap has around 75 staff in the UK, up from six a year ago and is looking to add a nearby site to its office in London’s Soho district, she added.
“We believe in the UK creative industries,” said Claire Valoti, general manager of Snap’s UK operations, in a statement.
“The UK is where our advertising clients are, where more than 10 million daily Snapchatters are, and where we’ve already begun to hire talent.”
The firm behind the popular disappearing message application says it has more than 150 million daily active users, including 50 million in Europe.
Snap’s UK entity will book revenues from customers in the UK and countries where there is no local entity or sales force. Its only other European entity is in Paris.
In November, Snap Inc. reportedly filed confidential paperwork for a public share offering valuing the messaging platform at more than $20 billion.
The initial public offering (IPO) would be among the biggest in the tech sector in recent years and shine a light on the fast-growing platform.
Snapchat is famous for mobile messages and photos that disappear after being viewed by the recipient.
© – AFP 2017 with reporting by Rónán Duffy
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Bill Gates does amazing work for the third world, so not a bad person to see topping the list.
I’m sure he could be doing more if he’s got 59 billion in his account.
@Julian – he is givening most of it away to Charities in his will.
I’m pretty sure theres a couple of electricians working for the ESB that should be on the list…
But are they happy….?
ya
Bill looks happy :)
I’ve met David Koch many times… Nice guy and yes he’s happy.
No, but they can cry in their $200m yacht!
Hmm that can’t be right! Where is the president of Ireland on that list ?????????
You know what is sickening those five people have more than 250 billion of the worlds resources. How many lives could they save, how could they make the world a better place if they gave even half of it away. Everything that’s wrong with the world is manifested in that list, pure greed.
Warren Buffett is also heavily involved in the Gates Foundation and has allowed his name to be put on Obama’s new tax measures that intend to close tax loop holes for the mega wealthy. It will never pass gestation but it has good intentions.
Lest we also forget that Gates was a ruthless cut throat towards his competitors even by American standards. I guess he wants to repent or polish his legacy or both.
No time like the present, why doesn’t he donate ten or twenty billion now, I’m sure he’ll survive.
You the man
In all seriousness, who cares?
You seem you care – you didn’t have to click the link to the story if you didn’t care
I can’t believe David Hasselhof didn’t make it into the top ten…?
He must be drinking more than I thought.
David Koch only has $25? I might have more!
have your say