Narayan AmmachchiSwiss biotech firm Roche has expanded the operations of its Costa Rican shared services center by adding finance and procurement services, creating an additional 400 jobs in the Central American country.
The center, established in 2017, currently employs just over 200 people, including foreigners, providing IT support services to the company’s pharmaceuticals and diagnostics units in the United States and Canada.
This is Roche’s third global IT shared services center, with the other two located in Budapest, Hungary and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Based in Escazú Village, the center has a floorspace of more than 4,600 meters. Therefore the company says it has a lot of room for expansion.
“Costa Rica needs this type of investment, focusing on innovation, research, development, and science, which also generate jobs and improve the productivity of our country,” stated Claudia Dobles, the First Lady of Costa Rica.
Service sector represents half of Costa Rican exports, with 47% of them providing IT and business services.
Alan Hippe, Roche’s Chief Financial and Information Officer, said political stability and legal certainty were the factors driving investment in the country.
“We have not only Costa Rican employees, but also Colombian, Swiss, Peruvian, American, and Brazilian staff,” stated Hector Feliu, General Manager of Shared Service Center for the Americas.
The Roche facility boasts a lactation room for mothers, recycling stations and gaming areas, where people can relax, watch television, or even play ping pong and pool in their spare time. In addition, the company provides medical and life insurance, extended maternity and paternity leave.
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