Yahoo! to recruit 200 engineers

Internet major Yahoo! will recruit another 200 software engineers at its research and development (R&D) centre in Bangalore, taking the total headcount to 1,000 by the end of this year.

The addition in headcount is due to growth potential available in the country, and looking at the country as a development centre for the world.

"We are looking at increasing the total number of engineers to 1,000 from the present 800, and will add another 200 personnel by the end of this year.

Yahoo! India is no more focusing on the country alone, but will products for around the world and lead in technological advances," global Chief Operating Officer Daniel Rosensweig told reporters here today.

India is the second biggest development centre for the company, and it also employs 10 per cent of the company's total workforce.

The company is looking at developing a mobile browser at the Bangalore centre, while newer products would be rolled out from the centre in the next 3 to 4 months.

The Bangalore centre was set up originally as an engineering centre, and now it has become one of the company's prestigious research and innovation wings, he said.

Rosensweig, who is on his first visit to India, claims that the company has garnered 85 per cent of the total Internet users in the country. Yahoo is also looking at launching mobile products in India that would be customised for the country's market.

Yahoo, which had earlier made an equity investment of $8.65 million in Bharatmatrimony.com, would look similar investments in the country.

These investments would be made depending on the opportunities that araise, even as is open to acquiring companies that fit it into its game plan, he said.

He, however, did not elaborate on this.

At present, Yahoo has a user base that has garnered 1 out of every 2 internet users and and is looking at increasing its presence across the globe through an aggressive growth foray.

Rosensweig said Yahoo was growing faster than the Net, with its e-mail, instant messenger and search services being the most in demand.