SINGAPORE, April 8 — Mobile phone transport app GrabTaxi has invested US$100 million (RM364.2 million) into its first research and development (R&D) Centre in Singapore.

The centre opens today (April 8) in Cecil Court in the Central Business District and will eventually house 200 engineers and data scientists. It will focus on analysing data and spotting trends from multiple sources.

The 200 staff comprises the majority of its technical staff and engineers from around the world.

Employees at GrabTaxi’s research and development (R&D) Centre in Singapore. — TODAY pic

GrabTaxi Group chief executive officer Anthony Tan said that while the firm remains focused on Southeast Asia, talent is global in nature and GrabTaxi has recently hired senior talent from companies such as Facebook and Amazon.

Singapore provides an ideal location for their new technology hub, he said. “The strong existing infrastructure and conducive business environment are ideal for us to build and develop this global pool of talent,” said Tan. — TODAY