GURUGRAM: Meta, the newly formed parent company of Facebook, on Wednesday unveiled its new office in the city, spanning 130,000 sqft with a digital skilling hub for small businesses and digital creators.
The DLF-2 workplace, spread over six floors but emphasising the startup roots of the global tech giant, is its first standalone office facility in Asia, Meta said.
The office, which was inaugurated by minister of state for electronics & IT Rajeev Chandrashekar, will house the company’s largest team in the country, from Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Facebook’s old office at Two Horizon Center in DLF-5 has been closed.
Ajit Mohan, vice-president & managing director, Facebook India (Meta) said, “The office will be open to anyone who is driving change – be it creators, small business owners, entrepreneurs, artists, or community leaders.”
“The spaces here will see directed, purposeful efforts from Meta to fuel their pursuits, ideas and ambition. That is why we are embracing the ambitious goal of training 1 crore small businesses and 250,000 creators,” Mohan added. India, he said, was not just the largest country for Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, but also where, in many ways, the future of the internet was being shaped.
Earlier this year, the Centre announced rules that require large social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to follow additional due diligence, including the appointment of a chief compliance officer, nodal contact person and resident grievance officer in the country. They will also be required to have a physical contact address in India.
Speaking at the event, Chandrasekhar said technology is deeply and almost irreversibly changing the trajectory of the country. “…while there will always be a debate about user harm, and all of the proliferations of problems that are created by the expanding internet, we must focus on keeping the internet open, safe and trusted and accountable in all ways and for all Indians,” he said.
Market analysts said the DLF-2 facilities would be among the largest for a new entrant, if Meta were to be considered so, and would consolidate Delhi-NCR’s position as the biggest base for tech in India after Bengaluru.
“Meta’s new office indicates a trend where office space absorption in the north is becoming more robust. After Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR has been gaining a lot of traction in the office market space and this announcement further consolidates that. It’s certainly a very encouraging sign for the overall business scenario in the country and the region,” said Tata Realty and Infrastructure MD and CEO Sanjay Dutt.
The office also gives Meta strategic benefit of having its base in a region well connected with all parts of the country. “After Mumbai, Delhi-NCR has seen the maximum return to office (of employees amid the pandemic). The opening of this office consolidates the trend of offices getting closer to employees,” said Viral Desai, executive director (transaction) at Knight Frank India.
Desai said the momentum would eventually be felt in the residential real estate market as ancillary business activities will also see an uptick. “As a thumb rule, every 1,000 sq ft office space generates demand for about 6-7 residential spaces. Demand for houses, both purchase and rental, will go up. Likewise, the automobile sector will see demand increase in this region," he added.
Meta said the office has an open floor plan and the unfinished look of a startup setting with exposed concrete pillars and wires on the roof. The skilling hub has been named ‘Centre for Fuelling India’s New Economy’.
"The workspace is built with employee safety in mind, which is why we have strict Covid safety protocols as well as varied touchless experiences, be it in the cafeteria, the lifts, or washrooms. With the same objective, we will continue to offer hybrid working options to our people and we'll evolve our approach depending on external circumstances,” a spokesperson for Meta told TOI.
(With PTI inputs)
