GLOBAL technology, engineering and consulting service provider Expleo, which has a strong presence in Belfast, plans to open an innovation centre in Galway.

It comes as part of a wider ambition to invest €5 million (around £4.5m) and create 70 jobs to support the growth of its life sciences and engineering research & development (ERD) teams.

Expleo, which played a leading role in the roll-out of the StopCOVID NI contact-tracing app, says the Galway base will be critical to bolstering its presence in other key industries, including software and automotive.

It is part of a plan to establish a network of regional hubs to support the company’s rapid growth across the island of Ireland.

Expleo has already laid out plans to double its Titanic Quarter-based workforce to 200 by the end of this year.

The company, which is part of a worldwide group with 15,000 and revenues of €1.1 billion, is currently recruiting in Belfast for roles in AI, robotics, quality engineering, project management and business agility.

The new Galway hub, located in the Mervue technology centre is forecast to have a significant impact on Expleo’s growing revenues in Ireland, supported by the expansion of its life sciences and ERD teams.

By year-end 2024, the company will invest €5m in 70 jobs across the two teams, working across Expleo’s client sites and its network of offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast.

On top of the 200 jobs announced in June last year, these latest jobs will see Expleo grow its island-wide team of over 1,000 by the end of 2024.

Expleo’s life sciences practice in Ireland specialises in product development for the medtech and pharma while ensuring compliance and helping the sector meet regulatory needs.

Phil Codd, managing director at Expleo Ireland, said: “We're delighted to be continuing our regional expansion plans with the opening of our Galway hub. As we continue to go from strength to strength in Ireland, these hubs will provide us with the talent and momentum we need to deliver on our ambitious growth plans.

“Along with our investment in regional expansion, we are also making significant investments in our life sciences and engineering, research & development teams. As a global company, we bring experience and expertise from many disciplines and areas to support the growing demand in Ireland’s pharmaceutical and medical device design and manufacturing sector.

“Our new hub in Galway will provide cutting-edge services to businesses operating in the life sciences, software and automotive industries, helping them to innovate at speed and scale. Galway’s economy is thriving, and we are excited to be a part of it while also contributing to its growth.”