Business

TikTok announce plans for 1,000 additional jobs in Dublin

Taoiseach Michéal Martin with TikTok chief executive Shouzi Chew in Dublin.
Taoiseach Michéal Martin with TikTok chief executive Shouzi Chew in Dublin. Taoiseach Michéal Martin with TikTok chief executive Shouzi Chew in Dublin.

SOCIAL media giant TikTok has confirmed plans to create another 1,000 jobs in the Republic.

The announcement followed a meeting between Taoiseach Michéal Martin and TikTok chief executive Shouzi Chew on Friday morning.

The platform, which is owned by the Beijing-based tech multinational ByteDance, first set up in Dublin during 2019.

TikTok now has more than one billion users worldwide, with Dublin becoming an increasingly significant focus for its European operations.

As of January 2022, the company’s workforce in the Republic passed the 2,000 mark.

Dublin is currently the base for TikTok’s EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) trust and safety team, as well as its European small and medium operations and its European data privacy and data protection team.

In July 2021, it set up its first regional security focused ‘fusion centre’ in Dublin.

Speaking after his conversation with Shouzi Chew and other senior company leaders on Friday, Michéal Martin said the additional 1,000 jobs in the Republic “further embeds Ireland as an important hub for its European and global operations, and is clear evidence of its commitment to this country”.

He said: “The substantial number of additional, highly skilled jobs being created is testament to the strength of Ireland’s offering, which includes a strong talent base and collaborative ecosystem.

“The government remains dedicated to cultivating an environment in which businesses of all sizes can succeed and prosper here, both now and into the future.”

IDA Ireland chief executive Martin Shanahan, who also took part in the meeting, described TikTok’s expansion in Ireland since 2019 as “rapid”.

“News of these additional 1,000 jobs, adding to its already substantial headcount, underscores the strategic importance of Ireland in TikTok’s global operations, with its Dublin site now base for a number of the company’s critical functions.

“That represents a substantial, continued investment by TikTok and is proof of the company’s continued commitment to Ireland.”

The announcement has also been welcomed by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar: “There are more people employed in Ireland now than at any other point in our history,” he said.

“We don’t take it for granted and will continue to work hard to make companies like TikTok feel welcome here. I wish the team the very best with this latest expansion."