headquarters to 500 by the end of 2013, aim to expand the device and enterprise businesses. At the time, the group said: “These new fi elds will generate signifi cant revenue growth for Huawei and will help the company explore broader ICT and consumer businesses.” Zhang says the majority of extra jobs,

a mixed range of roles including engineers and sales staff, will be for British workers joining the fi rm’s predominantly local staff. “Seventy fi ve per cent of the current 700 workforce are local employees,” he says. “That’s the same at middle and senior levels. Half of my direct reports are local.” Huawei also reported at the time that it is aiming to create another 1,000 to 1,500 subcontracting roles over the same period, and is setting up a formal UK graduate programme. Zhang says that the group is looking to forge closer ties with SMEs in the UK. Talks with the UK Trade & Investment team, led by chief executive Nick Baird, as well as Government ministers such as Minister for Business and Enterprise Mark Prisk, have already begun this process. “UK SMEs have very good technology in areas like software and research that we would like to develop joint facilities with,” states Zhang.

How far the UK can play a role in

Huawei’s future is also dependent on other factors. Europe contributes just over a tenth of global revenues. “The growth of the market has stayed very fl at,” says Zhang, “but Europe is also a very important market from a global perspective.”

BRIC EXPANSION Although the US is Huawei’s second- biggest territory outside China, the fast-growing markets of Latin America and Asia are where the group is most focused. It wants to drive into these regions with solutions for tech convergence, as well as pushing hard into consumer electronics, video on demand, phones and 4G network cards. There will also be tablets, smartphones and a network of retail stores in China and overseas. Nevertheless, the bond with the

UK is growing stronger. Through UK Trade & Investment’s network in China, Huawei has been introducing Chinese companies to the UK through exhibitions and round-table events, including one sponsored by UK Trade & Investment and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills at the 2011 GSM World Mobile Congress in Barcelona.

According to Zhang, the central

message taken away from the event by delegates was that Huawei’s success in the UK offers “a strong signal for other Chinese companies to feel comfortable investing here.” The round table was followed by a similar Huawei-sponsored breakfast event, attended by Business Secretary Vince Cable, at Tech World last November. Next up is Huawei’s participation in London 2012 Olympic business conference events being co-ordinated by UK Trade & Investment and other government departments, while there are also discussions about a potential trade mission of ICT SMEs to China later this year. The various events being planned

further demonstrate Huawei’s recognition of the support of the specialist UK Trade & Investment team in developing the group’s business in the UK. “We thank UK Trade & Investment for its support,” concludes Zhang. “It provided us with many investment suggestions, especially when we fi rst came to the UK.” So far, Huawei has invested $150m in

Britain. With its rate of progress, it’s likely that mainland China’s biggest UK investor is set to stay. ■

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STRONG SIGNAL FOR TO FEEL COMFORTABLE HERE”

VICTOR ZHANG