Canon, the Japanese technology corporation, has been expanding its organisational structure in Europe. The new region is set to include 26 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Eastern Mediterranean – and its future business activity will be managed from Vienna.
Canon is by no means the only international firm to recognise the advantages Austria’s capital has to offer, however: on the business side, the city boasts a central location, international links, economic stability and easy accessibility for Central and Eastern European markets, while employees find Vienna scores highly for quality of life, reasonable living costs, international flavour and a safe community.
A study by Vienna University of Economics and Business has found that more than a quarter of all the head offices in Austria belong to firms whose corporate headquarters are located outside Austria. More than 450 international head offices have been identified, with some 40% of these based in Vienna. The parent companies include exalted names such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Henkel, Takeda, Siemens and the BMW Group, all of whom have settled in the beating heart of Europe.
The geographical proximity of a base in Austria has come in particularly handy for companies from neighbouring states such as Germany and Switzerland, and these two countries take first and second place in the top ten list of foreign parent company homelands. Establishing a base in Austria has proved worthwhile for more than just European firms, however – the USA has secured third place, Japan is in seventh, and 17% of all the HQs surveyed for this ranking belong to firms from extra-European markets, highlighting the overall attraction and strategic positioning of a headquarters in Austria.
Whether you are considering a regional merger, a coordination point for a business segment, a cross-border cooperation hub or anything similar – Austria is an excellent location for doing international business!
