Hexaware’s £25M UK Push to Create 1,200 AI, Quantum Jobs in 3-5 Years
Key Takeaways
- Indian IT giant Hexaware is investing £25M to expand in the UK, creating 1,200 high-skilled jobs across Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham over the next three to five years.
- The roles will focus on AI, digital services and quantum computing, with a strong emphasis on incubating young talent and collaborating with government datasets.
- This move intensifies the war for tech talent in northern England’s growing digital corridors.
Mentioned
Key Intelligence
Key Facts
- 1Hexaware Technologies is investing £25 million to expand its UK operations across Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham.
- 2The expansion will create around 1,200 high-skilled jobs over a three-to-five-year period, focusing on AI, digital services, and quantum computing.
- 3New R&D centres will be established in Manchester and Leeds, while the Birmingham delivery centre will be scaled up.
- 4The UK Government highlighted Hexaware’s investment as part of its AI and clean energy commitments at the G7 Summit on June 16, 2026.
- 5CEO R. Srikrishna stated the investment will target young talent incubation, collaboration on unique datasets, and modernisation of citizen and public services.
- 6Hexaware has operated in the UK for over 30 years and views the country as one of its fastest-growing markets.
Across Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham R&D and delivery centres
Who's Affected
Analysis
For HR and workforce planners, Hexaware’s £25 million bet on UK talent signals a new front in the battle for AI and quantum computing skills. With 1,200 new roles landing in Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham over the next three to five years, the question isn’t just about recruitment volume—it’s about how these R&D hubs will reshape local labour markets, upskilling pipelines and the competitive landscape for tech employers. Early-career talent incubation and dataset-driven research mean HR leaders must start benchmarking against Hexaware’s aggressive people strategy.
On June 18, 2026, Hexaware Technologies (NSE: HEXT) announced a strategic £25 million investment to significantly expand its UK footprint, a move that will create approximately 1,200 high-skilled jobs across Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham over the next three to five years. The announcement follows the UK Government’s rollout of international AI commitments at the G7 Summit on June 16, 2026, where Hexaware’s plan was highlighted as part of a broader national agenda for artificial intelligence and clean energy. The Mumbai-headquartered IT services firm, which has operated in the UK for over three decades, is doubling down on its onshore presence by establishing dedicated R&D centres in Manchester and Leeds while scaling its existing delivery centre in Birmingham. The investment targets emerging technology domains—AI, digital services, and quantum computing—with a clear mandate to develop local talent, accelerate applied research, and modernize citizen and public services.
The announcement follows the UK Government’s rollout of international AI commitments at the G7 Summit on June 16, 2026, where Hexaware’s plan was highlighted as part of a broader national agenda for artificial intelligence and clean energy.
This expansion arrives at a pivotal moment for the UK’s technology sector. The government is actively courting foreign direct investment to position the country as a global AI hub, leveraging recent regulatory moves like the AI Safety Summit and pro-innovation frameworks. Hexaware’s commitment mirrors a wider trend among Indian IT majors (TCS, Infosys, Wipro) who have long used the UK as a nearshore base for European clients, but with a fresh emphasis on sovereign AI capabilities. By embedding R&D talent locally, Hexaware can co-create solutions with its UK clients—many of whom are in the fast-moving financial services, healthcare, and public sectors—rather than delivering projects from offshore centres. Param Iyer, EVP and Head of UK & Europe, crystallised this sentiment: “Our UK clients are moving fast on AI, and having research and delivery talent on the ground here means we can build with them rather than for them.”
The job creation figures are substantial for the regional economies. Manchester and Leeds, already vibrant tech corridors outside London, will gain R&D hubs that promise to attract and incubate early-career talent, with CEO R. Srikrishna emphasising a focus on “young talent” and “unique published datasets.” These hubs will not only service Hexaware’s existing client base but also fuel innovation for public sector digital transformation, aligning with the government’s ambition to use AI for citizen services. The £25 million injection—while modest compared to hyperscaler investments—signals a high-quality, high-value job creation path in advanced technologies, exactly the kind the UK’s industrial strategy seeks to incentivise.
What to Watch
From a market perspective, the move intensifies the competition for AI and quantum talent in the UK, which is already facing a severe skills shortage. Hexaware’s direct presence in three northern cities could prompt other mid-tier IT services firms to follow suit, especially as post-Brexit Britain seeks to shore up its digital sovereignty. For investors, the expansion underscores Hexaware’s confidence in its UK revenue stream, which is reportedly one of its fastest-growing markets. While the company has not disclosed a specific revenue target, the long-term horizon of job creation suggests a measured, sustainable growth strategy rather than a speculative bet.
Looking ahead, this initiative is likely to yield partnerships with UK universities and research institutions, as hinted by the mention of collaborating with “unique published datasets.” It also aligns with the government’s push for inclusive AI, aiming to balance economic growth with social impact. The risk lies in execution: building R&D capabilities in quantum computing, a nascent field, requires deep academic linkages and patient capital. However, Hexaware’s three-decade UK legacy and strong client trust provide a solid foundation. The success of this plan will be measured not just by headcount, but by the number of AI-driven citizen service projects and quantum research outcomes that emerge from Manchester and Leeds in the coming years.
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