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.