Dyson has selected the St. James Power Station, a historic building in Singapore, as the site of its new global headquarters (HQ).
The selection of the historic building in Singapore follows the decision of Dyson in January to move its global HQ out of the United Kingdom to Asia. According to Dyson chief executive officer (CEO) Jim Rowan, the new location would serve as "a hive for our research and development endeavors".
However, the move was criticized by some as a form of hypocrisy since the firm's founder Sir James Dyson was a prominent advocate for Brexit. Dyson argued that the decision was made based on commercial reasons and is not connected with Brexit.
Dyson is is best known for its vacuum cleaners but it also manufactures air purifiers and hair care products such as hair dryers. Rowan said that the company had outgrown its existing technology center after 12 years of operation in Singapore.
In a press release published on the website of Mapletree, the power station's owner, Rowan wrote: "The historic St. James Power Station will be a most inspiring backdrop for Dyson's people." Dyson is scheduled to move into the power station, which measures 110.000 square feet, in 2021.
The St. James Power Station was constructed in 1927 and housed Singapore's first coal-fired power plant before being converted into an entertainment complex and nightlife hub. It was declared a national monument in 2009.
In 2018, Dyson announced that it would build a new electric car but in October, the company said that while its engineers had developed a “fantastic electric car”, it would not push through with the project because it was not “commercially viable”.
Sir James sent an email to all employees saying that Dyson was unable to find a buyer for the project. This division of the company currently has 500 employees.
