The new office opening is happening in tandem with its plans to create a software development centre of excellence in Cork to continue developing its software engineering capability. The centre will focus on building industry-leading applications along with the supporting back-end systems to support the company’s products for the connected home.

“Netgear has been in Cork since 2006, having started out with a small team of seven people,” site lead Fiona Pratt explains. 

“Since that time, the team has grown and continues to provide critical valued support to enable our EMEA and global business. 

We employ highly talented people across multiple functions including finance, customer operations, logistics & distribution, digital marketing, data operations, HR, legal, customer support & advocacy, support engineering, sales and IT support.” 

She points to the current exciting period in the company's history as it transforms from a traditional hardware company to a more software-centric company. 

For the last 17 years, our Cork site has been a valued contributor to the success of Netgear's international business. Our ability to attract and retain exceptional talent over the years has been key to this success, and to Netgear's continued investment in Cork.”

She has worked with the company for almost 10 years, and holds diplomas in personnel management, human resources management and a BSocSc in social sciences from University College Cork and Munster Technological University. 

“Having joined as EMEA HR manager, I have been fortunate over the years to learn and grow and progress my career to my current dual role.”

Cork is home to a large, diverse technology cluster, which has created the opportunity to build networks and share knowledge and experience on areas of common interest and challenge. 

“The presence of this tech cluster along with the two universities provides fantastic opportunities for collaboration between industry and academia, all of which serves to grow the talent pipeline with the skills and knowledge that are needed for the future and to keep Cork and Ireland at the forefront of innovation.” 

The company’s move into the Penrose Dock development in the heart of the city’s Victorian Quarter has also been timely in allowing for the changed working practices following the pandemic. 

“This move came at a great time for us as we were returning to the office after the pandemic. It enabled us to re-imagine our workplace and design a completely new ‘destination’ hybrid office of the future, tailored towards collaboration and community.” 

Cork’s geographical location figures prominently amongst its commercial and lifestyle attributes, now bolstered by an expanding population and increasing access to global markets. 

Cork is a fantastic hub for business, as Ireland's second city we have access to global talent, cost-efficiencies, and Government investment into a priority location, while also being a really nice place to live and work.

“Being a university city, we're privileged to have two high-quality universities with UCC and MTU, which provide access to a highly educated workforce with more than 41,000 students. This young, well-educated, English-speaking talent pipeline is key in attracting investment from companies like Netgear.” 

She underlines the fact that Netgear has signed a 15-year lease as a strong reflection of the value the company places on the Cork office and its ongoing commitment to Ireland. 

The progressing of plans to create a software development centre of excellence is a further vote of confidence in the Cork site, she says. 

“We see this as an opportunity for the Cork site to be a strong contributor to accelerating our transformation from a traditional hardware company to a more software-centric company. 

"Again, our strong track record, the pipeline of highly educated and diverse talent here in Cork and Ireland, as well as our geographic location between the US and other global sites, make it an ideal location for us to expand our software development capabilities.” 

The centre will focus on building industry-leading applications along with the supporting back-end systems to support the company’s products for the connected home.

“Our business is about connection. We make products that connect people, power businesses, and advance the way we live. Connectivity, specifically WiFi, is our main focus as a company.” 

As a fundamental part of life, it is difficult these days to think of life without it — a critical reality when the world was forced to work from home during the pandemic. 

“We, as individuals and businesses, suddenly had options for where and how work could be done. It's now clear that we can work, learn, shop and do just about anything else from home or elsewhere. And, while we're working from anywhere, WiFi helps us to maintain those vital connections to family, friends, and community, all the things we care about in life.” 

Hybrid work is here to stay, she says, and the future will not be televised as more and more sporting and cultural events will be streamed online. “Headsets are not just for gamers anymore — streaming social events have been normalised.”

The company recently conducted research in the US which found Americans spend over 16 hours a day online, with 45% of respondents indicating they could not live without robust WiFi. 

“The average home has 20 or more connected devices — our homes will keep getting smarter as we keep purchasing the newest, latest devices and subscribe to new applications and services. 

"The expectations for WiFi continue to grow, encompassing not just speed and performance, but also range and number of devices supported at once.”