I stand corrected.
> In January 2007, Swiss media reported that Zürich would become Google's second-largest location worldwide (after its Mountain View headquarters). This was based on Google securing a long-term lease for 11,500 m² of office space in the Hürlimann-Areal, with an option for an additional 4,500 m². The plan was to grow the Zürich headcount from roughly 200 to 500 employees in the first phase, with the new space having capacity for up to 1,600 people. A Google spokesperson at the time confirmed the goal: "Zürich will become Google's largest location outside the USA," surpassing the then-European headquarters in Dublin (which had 800 employees).
> However, Zürich's real-world ranking evolved differently:
> By 2016 (1,800 employees): It was already described as the largest development site outside the United States, but not necessarily the second-largest overall office.
> By 2019 (nearly 4,000 employees): Multiple sources ranked Zürich as the third-largest Google location globally, behind Mountain View and New York.
> Today (5,000+ employees): It remains Google's largest engineering hub outside the US, but offices in New York, Bangalore, Dublin, and London generally have higher total headcounts.
> In January 2007, Swiss media reported that Zürich would become Google's second-largest location worldwide (after its Mountain View headquarters). This was based on Google securing a long-term lease for 11,500 m² of office space in the Hürlimann-Areal, with an option for an additional 4,500 m². The plan was to grow the Zürich headcount from roughly 200 to 500 employees in the first phase, with the new space having capacity for up to 1,600 people. A Google spokesperson at the time confirmed the goal: "Zürich will become Google's largest location outside the USA," surpassing the then-European headquarters in Dublin (which had 800 employees).
> However, Zürich's real-world ranking evolved differently:
> By 2016 (1,800 employees): It was already described as the largest development site outside the United States, but not necessarily the second-largest overall office.
> By 2019 (nearly 4,000 employees): Multiple sources ranked Zürich as the third-largest Google location globally, behind Mountain View and New York.
> Today (5,000+ employees): It remains Google's largest engineering hub outside the US, but offices in New York, Bangalore, Dublin, and London generally have higher total headcounts.