Chinese multinational tech firm Lenovo says it will hire 12 000 research and development (R&D) professionals around the world over the next three years.
This follows its commitment last year to double investment in R&D, as it transforms the business from a devices company to a technology “powerhouse”.
Outlining the mission for the year ahead, chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang says in a statement that R&D remains a crucial priority for Lenovo in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
The 12 000 new R&D professionals will add to the 5 000 hired during 2021/22 FY, to support research across the new IT architecture of ‘client-edge-cloud-network-intelligence’, he states.
“My vision for Lenovo’s innovation is to become one of the world’s leading ICT companies, a pioneer and enabler of intelligent transformation.
“Our investment plan will centre around the ‘client-edge-cloud-network-intelligence’ architecture, with a three-track approach to focus on short-, medium- and long-term payback. Our intention is to optimise between technology with quick market returns and foundational research, and between continuous improvement and breakthrough innovation.”
In its financial results last year, Lenovo revealed its R&D investment increased by almost 60%, adding it will continue to drive to its goal to double R&D spending over three years, and further drive service-led intelligent transformation.
According to the company, the R&D efforts will focus around the new and emerging IT architecture.
Teams will work on new product and business model innovation, incubating technologies from edge computing to technology which will help businesses capitalise on the metaverse, and emerging and disruptive innovation like next-generation artificial intelligence, and heterogeneous computing to help them prepare for the future.
This will be done with the intention of helping businesses of all sizes capitalise on new and emerging technologies like the metaverse, indicates Yang.
In addition to its R&D commitments, Yang notes the company is working towards its vision of becoming net-zero by 2050.
Underpinned by environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), Lenovo is working with the science-based target initiative to establish goals that support its net-zero vision.
Says Yang: “The company has been reporting on its ESG commitments for the past 14 years, including outlining its work and goals around climate change mitigation, the circular economy and sustainable materials. In 2020, Lenovo exceeded its 2020 emission reduction goals a year ahead of schedule and has already established science-based targets for 2030.
“Lenovo is much more than business growth and financial success. We are innovators who are committed to helping solve humanity’s greatest challenges,” he concludes:
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