Facebook to set up international HQ in Ireland: Dublin

DUBLIN: Facebook, the US Internet social networking giant, is to establish its non-US international headquarters in Dublin, the Irish government said on Thursday.

The centre will provide a range of online technical, sales and operations support to Facebook's users and customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the Enterprise Ministry.

The announcement is a boost for Ireland as it battles with a slowdown made deeper by the global credit crunch, after a prolonged boom which garnered it the label of Celtic Tiger economy.

"It is a terrific endorsement that Ireland can satisfy the needs of such highly innovative and technologically advanced companies as they make critical investments," said deputy premier and enterprise minister Mary Coughlan.

Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said the company had chosen Ireland after exploring various other locations in Europe.

"The talent pool in Dublin is world-class and recruiting local talent will help us better understand the needs of local users and the regional dynamics that .. can give us better insight into what features matter most," she said.

Founded in February 2004, Facebook is a privately-owned company headquartered in Palo Alto, California.