Dubai – Mubasher: HSBC has officially inaugurated its new headquarters in Downtown Dubai at $250 million investment.

The new headquarters comprises around 3,000 employees, the British multinational banking and financial services holding company said.

Opening the branch took place in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation.

“Whether that’s reinventing customer experience, creating a more agile working environment, promoting smart, efficient and sustainable ways of doing business, and innovating to deliver products and services that meet constantly evolving market needs, this building helps make it all possible,” Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO of HSBC UAE and head of international of HSBC Bank Middle East, said.

Spanning 236,000 square feet, the new branch comprises innovation labs, a university, training studios and collaboration hubs.

It also includes a gym, studio space for yoga classes, a reflection room, an outdoor terrace and a number of vibrant coffee shops and restaurants.

“Markets like the UAE represent HSBC’s future, where we want to invest and grow, bringing more of HSBC to more people because we see an opportunity here, not just for us, but for our customers all over the world. We firmly believe the economic miracle that we’ve seen here is just the start of something much, much bigger,” John Flint, HSBC Group chief executive, commented.