Report: Google to establish R&D center in Singapore

Google Inc. Wednesday appeared to back away from a newspaper report that it plans to establish a research and development (R&D) center in Singapore -- even though the company's Web site lists a job opening for the director of such a center.

On Tuesday, Singapore's Straits Times reported that Google plans to establish an R&D base in the small Southeast Asian country. The report quoted Richard Kimber, Google's managing director of sales and operations in Southeast Asia, saying the company had picked Singapore because of its "very vibrant ICT space." ICT stands for information, communications and technology.

Google later appeared to back away from that report. "We're continually exploring opportunities to further our investment in Singapore and around the world, which includes actively hiring local talent across various positions. We do not have anything to announce at this time," Google said in a statement released through its public relations firm.

Despite that statement, Google is looking to hire an engineering center director for Singapore. A posting on Google's Web site, said the company is looking to hire someone with "experience building a world-class R&D organization" to head an engineering center in the Southeast Asian city-state.

The job opening is one of several available in Singapore, where Google is looking to build a stronger presence in Southeast Asia.

Google already has R&D centers in China, India, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan to tap local engineering talent and expertise in areas such as wireless and mobile technologies. These centers also help the company localize its various advertising and search services.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.