Dell to move HQ to S'pore

Dell to move HQ to S'pore

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): U.S. computer maker Dell Computer Corp. (DELL) intends to make Singapore its Asia-Pacific headquarters, it said Thursday at a media conference.

The company's Asia-Pacific operations is currently based in Hong Kong.

The company is currently in negotiations with the Singapore government to iron out details on how the U.S. company can expand its presence in the city-state, which could "take weeks to months", said John Legere, president for Asia-Pacific, Europe and Middle East.

Singapore will host the company's high-tech functions including its Internet center, he said.

The planned move to Singapore will see the company closer to its major markets in the region, as well as to its manufacturing plant in Penang, Malaysia, said Legere.

"When running a region that extends to Australia, Singapore is the ideal location," said Legere.

Its Penang plant serves the needs of the Asia-Pacific markets with the exception of Hong Kong and China, which are served by a plant in Xiamen, China.