Dutch software firm opens city base

NETHERLANDS software company TOPdesk has opened an office in Manchester, with ambitions for growth.

The company, which specialises in helping organisations to improve their services with user-friendly standardised software, has taken 1,300sq ft of space at Barclay House on Whitworth Street West in the city centre.

The new base is its ninth and is TOPdesk’s second in the UK after London. It said the large graduate talent pool in the city and the presence of major bluechip corporates in the city region had driven its decision.

MIDAS, Manchester’s inward investment agency supported the company with the property search.

David Cape-Brown, TOPdesk’s Manchester branch aanager said: “We saw Manchester as the clear choice for our second UK office because as a city it really punches above its weight. With huge names including IBM, the BBC and ITV all choosing to set up here, we are assured that Manchester is a solid destination for the software industry.”

He added: “Manchester not only provides us the opportunity to better service our northern clients, but also produces a large pool of highly skilled graduates that we’re looking to tap into.

“The employment hubs at the University of Salford, Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester have all been really helpful and we’re looking forward to continuing our work with them as we expand our recruitment.”

Tim Newns, chief executive of MIDAS said: “David and his team will be joining a diverse cluster of innovative tech industries, including software developers, internet service providers, web developers and ICT consultancy businesses. Manchester’s talent pool and continued investment into future-proofing our digital infrastructure means that there are some exciting opportunities for TOPdesk to explore and we look forward to seeing them thrive here.”