O’Brien company to invest €30m in China

The largest Irish-owned employer in China is to invest a further €30m in the country.

ChinaHR — the recruitment company owned by Denis O’Brien and Leslie Buckley — is to invest in hiring more staff and improving its technology.

The announcement was made by Jobs Minister Richard Bruton at the China Ireland Technology summit in Beijing yesterday.

“At the heart of our strategy for jobs and growth is supporting innovative Irish companies selling their goods and services in high-growth foreign markets like China,” said Mr Bruton. “Today’s announcement by ChinaHR that it is investing €30m in its operations in China is very welcome news. Increased exports by companies like ChinaHR in China ultimately supports increased employment in Ireland.”

The additional technological investment is aimed at making it easier for jobseekers to access and respond to potential job prospects across a number of online platforms in a country where 300 million people look for opportunities online.

Additionally, with nine out of ten Chinese people owning a mobile phone and the core job-seeking market of 20- to 34-year-olds accounting for 80% of online activity, China offers a unique opportunity, according to ChinaHR chief executive Andrew North.

The other key element of the investment is in the recruitment of senior Chinese executives to drive the company’s long-term development.