Spotify has opened up a research and development (R&D) hub within its new London office – marking the first time it has introduced a major tech centre outside of Sweden or the US.

With the introduction of the hub, Spotify will look to tap into London’s tech talent across engineering, product, design, data, research, and insights. The R&D centre joins the company’s existing hubs in Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden, and New York, San Francisco, and Boston in the US.

“The UK is famous all over the world for the musical talent that originates here and the strength of the music industry here,” said Tom Connaughton, MD of Spotify UK. “As one of Spotify’s biggest markets, it makes perfect sense to expand our team here, and to tap into the large and diverse talent pool to be found in London.”

R&D team arrives in the Adelphi Building, near the Strand, ahead of the company slowly shifting its wider workforce in the UK capital city into the offices later this year.

“London is the best place in Europe for tech companies to find a wealth of diverse talent,” said Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London. “Spotify’s expansion is a further sign that London is Open to ground-breaking technology.”