Birmingham proves right fit for online retailer ASOS
ONLINE fashion retailer ASOS has chosen Birmingham as the site for its new office.
It is to set up base at The Custard Factory in Digbeth and is recruiting for 20 senior positions locally. This will be ASOS’s first regional office outside the South East.
The roles will focus on creating new company websites, tailored to the needs of consumers in growth markets including France and Germany.
The number of roles in Birmingham could rise to around 50 over the next 12 months.
The news comes a week after ASOS posted strong trading results for the three months to 28 February 2013. Retail sales were up 37% year on year, resulting in first half retail sales growth of 34% to £352m.
Pete Marsden, chief information officer for ASOS, said of the expansion into Birmingham: “As a company ASOS has grown, despite challenging economic times, because of the innovative approaches we take to meeting our customers’ demands. Our innovation comes from our people; we seek out and recruit the very best talent because we know that they are the key to our success. That is exactly what we are doing by creating a presence for the company in Birmingham.
“Last week’s trading statement highlighted that ASOS’ European growth is driven by strong performances in countries where the company has dedicated websites. Our new Birmingham team will work alongside our London Technology Centre to develop and tailor these sites to each market, putting it at the forefront of our future growth.
“We are an ambitious company, and are looking forward to settling into what we know is a very ambitious and talented city. Since we started our search for a new office location, our sense has been that Birmingham is a city with the talent, cost effectiveness, physical infrastructure, plans and will to help our business succeed. We’ve been welcomed with open arms and supported through every step by the Business Birmingham team, who we will continue to work with.
“Birmingham feels like a city that has some big plans and is on the cusp of big things. We wanted to get in there first.”
Marek Dobrowolski, investment manager at the city’s inward investment programme Business Birmingham – operated by Marketing Birmingham – commented: “Birmingham is making a real name for itself as a home for digital businesses. With 40,000 students studying computer science or business in Birmingham each year, we have a strong local talent pool.
“Add to that our start-up friendly cost effectiveness when it comes to property and services, our quality of life and the genuine creativity that comes with our young population and the city stacks up as a genuine alternative to the traditional digital enclaves in the South East.”
