The 5,500 square meter building, located in the Prinsenhof building adjacent to Amsterdam's Koningin Wilhelminaplein square, will also serve as the home of ICL's Global Procurement organisation. The offices will eventually house around 300 ICL employees, including 250 new hires.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte joined ICL President & CEO Stefan Borgas, and Idan Ofer, representing ICL's main shareholder (Israel Corporation) to inaugurate the new regional headquarters. They were joined by a number of officials, including Israel's Ambassador to The Netherlands, H.E. Haim Divon, the Deputy Mayor and Alderman for Economic Affairs of the City of Amsterdam, Kajsa Ollongren, and several high ranking representatives of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Also present at the inauguration were members of ICL management and a delegation of ICL's European employees.
Commenting on the opening of the regional offices, Mr. Borgas said, "We are delighted to establish our new European region headquarters, European Shared Services Center and Global Procurement Center in Amsterdam, a city that offers supports and encourages a business environment and culture that is a good fit with ICL's business culture.”
He also stated that ICL looks forward to becoming an active member of Amsterdam's corporate community, as well as to expanding our European activities from this new regional headquarters. “We trust that locating these offices in Amsterdam will further our strategic goal of creating 'ONE ICL', a global, united company that conducts business efficiently and competitively in the global markets in which we are active. The Shared Services Center in Amsterdam will join an existing Shared Services Center in the US and future Shared Service Centers to be located in Israel and Southeast Asia,” he added.
The refurbishment of the Prinsenhof building will be completed over the next several months, and it is expected that ICL will occupy the building as of mid-2015.