LeEco has new HQ in San Jose

LeEco, previously known as Letv, opened its new North American headquarters in San Jose, California, on Thursday with the objective of tapping into Silicon Valley's talent and innovation.

The new building, next to Samsung's semiconductor research and development center, also attracted two former executives of Samsung.

Shawn Williams, chief administrative officer of LeEco Holdings North America, previously worked as senior vice-president of human resources for Samsung's US operation, and Danny Bowman, LeEco's chief revenue officer for North America, worked for Samsung Telecommunications America as chief sales and operations officer.

LeEco's presence in Silicon Valley offers a "perfect geographical opportunity to tap the best talent, vision and technology", Williams said at the opening ceremony. "Our deep commitment to Silicon Valley is also a commitment to unique talent, the culture of innovation and inspiration that can only be found here," he said.

At the 80,000-square-foot facility in San Jose, where 250 employees work now, the Beijing-based technology company will hire 800 staff members and house its autonomous driving research center - the LeFuture AI Institute, in partnership with Faraday Future.

Employees with skills in system testing, artificial intelligence, user interface design and user experience design are being sought worldwide for the institute, the company said. Those with skills in are being sought worldwide for the institute, said the company.

Prior to the headquarters, LeEco had set up two offices, in Los Angeles and Redwood City, California, in hopes of integrating the innovation of Silicon Valley, the creativity and media of Los Angeles and the practical application and development of Beijing.

Despite the various areas LeEco has engaged in, Brian Hui, head of LeEco's US operations, said, "We'd like to think of ourselves quite simply: an internet ecosystem company that embraces a philosophy of platform plus content plus device and plus user application."

The "LeEco model", based on video content and smart devices and powered by an "open vertical integrated ecosystem", has seven connected ecosystems - internet and cloud, the big screen, the phone, the car, content, sports and internet finance, he explained.

"You have chosen well when you chose San Jose," said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo at the opening ceremony.

Consul General Luo Linquan, who also attended the event, agreed, saying it is a "wise choice" to set up the headquarters in San Jose because Silicon Valley is a "promised land" in terms of high-tech, and California is a leading US state doing business with China."

liazhu@chinadailyusa.com