Global Payments plots Irish jobs boost

US giant Global Payments has said it sees scope to boost its Irish headcount by 100 as it works on new software.

The company, which processes payments for online sellers alongside other software-based services, employs 200 people here, after buying Colm Lyon’s Realex Payments in 2015.

Global Payments CEO Jeff Sloan said the Irish operation was developing a new ecommerce-focused technology platform, which the company plans to roll out next year.

“We’re going to be increasing headcount here... we’ve already started that,” Mr Sloan told the Irish Independent. “I’d love to see at least another 100 employees here in Ireland.

“Our ecommerce business has doubled in the last two years. We have 200 staff here in Ireland. To double it again, to $1bn, is what I’d like to do.”

Mr Sloan said that although rents and labour costs are high in Dublin, the same applies to many other cities.

“I certainly don’t think Dublin’s priced itself out of the market — I’d much rather pay more for someone in Dublin who is very sophisticated and capable and can do the work immediately,” he said.

As well as payments processing, the company provides other software products in areas such as inventory tracking and workforce management.

‘I certainly don’t think Dublin’s priced itself out of the market’