Thales leads the way in digital technology with new excellence centre in Cambridge
Thales, a leader in critical information systems, cybersecurity and data security, has opened a new office in Cambridge’s landmark One Station Square. The state-of-the-art facility will act as an innovation hub driving industry-changing developments to enable digital transformation.
The Cambridge location has been designated a Thales global centre of excellence. Thales engineers in Cambridge design and develop advanced data security solutions that ensure that data belonging to companies and government entities is both secure and trusted in any environment – on premises, in the cloud, in data centres or big data environments.
This new world-class workspace provides employees with a modern, flexible environment that encourages smart working and offers excellent transport links. It brings together engineers, research and development and innovation teams, enabling collaboration with customers, partners and suppliers.
Thales is dedicated to supporting and creating high-value jobs. The site will accommodate more than 100 specialised engineers, part of the wider 3,500 Thales engineering community in locations across the UK. Thales’s flagship site in Cambridge will help attract and retain a future generation of young engineers who will have the skill set to make Thales leaders in advanced security solutions.
In today’s rapidly changing world, the digital revolution is creating new opportunities for governments and businesses, which also face huge challenges. Thales supports them by offering high-level expertise in four key digital technologies: Internet of Things/connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
In the last three years, Thales has invested over €1 billion in these key technologies, which play a crucial role in enabling airlines, satellite operators, air traffic control organisations, urban and mainline rail operators, the armed forces and security services responsible for protecting urban infrastructure and energy supplies to make the right decisions in real time. These investments include a number of strategic acquisitions devoted to self-funded research and disruptive digital innovation.
Cambridge is one of Europe’s largest digital technology ecosystems, with more than 1,500 technology-based firms employing around 60,000 people. Thales joins an impressive list of technology companies who have their operations or research centres in the prestigious city, including Amazon, Apple, ARM, and Microsoft Research. With the top-performing university in the country and growing technology investment, Cambridge plays an important role in driving innovation globally and fostering new science and technology talent locally as well as across the UK. Thales is committed to open innovation and will be an even more active member of the Cambridge digital ecosystem.
Alan Kessler, CEO Thales eSecurity, says :
“The move to One the Square is part of Thales’s wider strategic goal to ensure the business delivers sustainable profitability and growth. Investing in this new Cambridge site enables us to stay competitive, creating innovative, customer-led products and services that will help us win new business in financial services, healthcare, retail and government markets both at home and overseas. This new world-class workspace sets the benchmark for future working environments within the Thales business. It enables collaboration with customers, partners and suppliers, showcasing innovation fueled by an extensive research capability”.
Thales has moved its Cambridge eSecurity operations into the new One the Square facility confirming its ongoing commitment to the town. The investment reaffirms Thales as a major contributor to UK prosperity employing 6,500 people across the UK with a turnover of £1.2bn a year. Through sourcing more than 75% of its supply chain in the UK it spends £510m a year, supporting around 20,000 jobs across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Also, as part of Thales’s focus on innovation and the development of new technology, it invests £52m per year in the UK on research and development, with one of its five global research and technology centres based in Cambridge. Thales is also ensuring continued developed and retention of younger members of the workforce as a priority, currently employing around 550 graduates and apprentices with intake increasing year on year.