Klarna to open development centre with up to 500 employees in Lisbon

Sweden’s Klarna, one of the world’s largest fintech companies, will open a product development centre in Lisbon with 500 employees. The Portuguese capital joins Stockholm, Berlin, Giessen, Milan, Madrid, Mannheim and Toronto, where the credit payments and banking services company already has innovation hubs.

The hiring process will be focused on product development roles, including engineers, product managers and analysts, and will take place over several years, according to the company’s needs. The value of the investment has not been disclosed, but “it will be considerable,” said Yaron Shaer, Chief Technology Officer at Klarna.

“It is a commitment to Portugal, we will create jobs and support the local economy. Our hubs are innovation engines bringing together talent from around the world to better serve our customers,” added Yaron Shaer “It is a bet on Portugal and the Portuguese and will position Lisbon in a sweet spot in the coming years,” also stressed Alexandre Fernandes, responsible for the fintech in Portugal, where about 20 employees already work.

The Mayor of Lisbon, who also attended the presentation, considered it to be “a very important day for Lisbon, which wants to be a capital of innovation in Europe”. “The fact that a company like Klarna comes to Lisbon is part of that vision,” he added.

Klarna launched the first services in Portugal last November, with the shopping application and the Pay in 3 system, which allows to split a payment into three months without charging interest. Meanwhile, it has also launched Pay Now. It already works with over 100 brands in the country, such as Prozis, Lanidor or Samsung. “We are focusing on Portuguese companies that sell in Portugal, but also abroad,” said Alexandre Fernandes.