Facebook to inaugurate new office in Dubai
The social network branches out with its first Middle Eastern office in an attempt to attract regional advertisers.
Facebook plans to open its first Middle East office in Dubai next week, according to the Associated Press. This United Arab Emirates city is considered the Silicon Valley of the region and so it makes sense that the social network would put its Persian Gulf hub here.
With 80 percent of users outside the U.S. and Canada and more than 70 languages being used on the social network, Facebook has a massive global presence. Besides several offices throughout the U.S., the company also has 18 international offices, from Auckland to Hyderabad to Tokyo. Its international headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland.
The news of the Dubai office came with a Facebook invitation to journalists to learn more about the new office, which is scheduled for May 30, according to the Associated Press. Until then, the company is not releasing further details.
However, according to Gulf News, Facebook will be opening its office in a sector of Dubai called "Dubai Internet City." This business park is home to dozens of offices of international tech and telecom companies, including Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, HP, Dell, Intel, and Cisco. Those businesses with an office here are entitled to a tax-free income within the United Arab Emirates, according to the Dubai Internet City's Web site.
Facebook's Dubai office will concentrate on enlisting new advertisers from the Middle East, according to Gulf News.