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US firm sets up European HQ in Ireland
Monday, January 29 2001
by Mary O'Neill


Salesforce.com is to establish its European headquarters in Ireland, creating 50
new jobs for the country. 

The California-based company delivers enterprise applications as an on-line
service. Its European headquarters is to be located in Enniskerry, Co.Wicklow,
and will be headed by former Managing Director of Oracle Ireland, John Appleby. 



Salesforce.com has also launched its software automation product in Ireland and
the UK. The company is aimed at SMEs employing over 30 people, and allows users
to access, manage and share their company's sales information on-line.
Salesforce.com is one of the biggest players in the pay-as-you-use software
market: customers do not have to buy the software needed, but pay usage fees for
the functionality they need.



"We have a completely different cost model to other software companies. Small
to medium enterprises only have to pay around EUR55  per month to use our
software. It's a very different approach to the market place, and quite a radical
one," Fergus Gloster, Vice President of Marketing at Salesforce.com Europe, told
ElectricNews.Net.



Gloster, who was also formerly with Oracle, explained that there were a few
reasons why Salesforce chose Ireland as the location for its European
headquarters, with its favourable corporate tax environment as a major factor. 



"Ireland is also perceived as a good place for high technology firms, and it is
closer in proximity to the US than the rest of Europe. Also the fact that it is
an English-speaking European country makes it very attractive to US
multi-nationals," said Gloster. 



Salesforce.com has an outlet in Japan and employs a total of 170 people on a
global scale. It has a subscriber base of over 25,000 organisations, most of
which are American. However, the company is aiming heavily at building up an
Irish and European customer base.



"Already some Irish-based companies have signed up with us, including NewWorld
Commerce, Wolfe Systems and Berlitz," said Gloster.

 

It has already recruited 15 of the 50 people ear-marked for the Irish plant. The
jobs will consist of multi-lingual sales and marketing positions.