Headquarters location Greater Zurich Area

International headquarters

Greater Zurich Area: ideal business location for international headquarters

The Greater Zurich Area stands out as a beacon for international companies seeking a progressive and dynamic business environment to establish, expand, or relocate their corporate headquarters. The Swiss business location consistently tops the rankings on WIPO's Global Innovation Index and the European Union’s European Innovation Scoreboard and gives companies access to the European markets with over 500 million consumers.

With a robust economy, a highly skilled workforce, top-notch infrastructure, and an exceptional quality of life, Greater Zurich has positioned itself as a premier business location for tech businesses and their headquarters across various industries. From fintech and robotics to life sciences and manufacturing, Greater Zurich continues to foster innovation and fuel growth long-term. It’s a destination that is ideal for ambitious and innovative companies.

Discover the reasons why the Greater Zurich Area is the ideal headquarters location for international businesses.

Business-friendly ecosystem & stable economy

Business-friendly ecosystem & stable economy

Switzerland as a business location consistently ranks high in the World Competitiveness Ranking, an indication of its business-friendly environment and free trade agreements within the European markets.

The metropolitan area of Greater Zurich boasts a stable and resilient economy that consistently ranks among the strongest in Europe. Switzerland has one of the highest per-capita GDP in the world, with the Swiss economy consistently ranking among the best in the world.

Its strategic location at the heart of Europe and well-established business ecosystem make Greater Zurich attractive to global investors and an ideal strategic location for international and regional headquarters. Favorable tax policies, a supportive regulatory framework, and sustained political stability have helped foster a lucrative environment for businesses looking for growth opportunities and long-term prosperity.

World leading innovation hub

World leading innovation hub

The Greater Zurich Area's innovation-driven environment is globally acclaimed, with Switzerland being recognized for its excellence in research and development.

The Global Innovation Index ranks Switzerland as the most innovative economy in the world, consistently for over a decade now. Companies are able to take advantage of the most innovative environment in the world to advance R&D efforts and reap long-term benefits from being in such an innovation-fostering ecosystem and business location.

Highly skilled workforce

Highly skilled workforce

The Greater Zurich Area's highly skilled workforce is a result of its exceptional education system. The region's universities and research institutions are globally recognized: The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) is among the top 10 universities in the world. This ensures a rich talent pool with academic excellence and advanced skill sets, making it an ideal business location to establish, expand, or relocate a company's headquarters to. 

It’s a testament to the quality of its workforce that Switzerland is consistently ranked among the top countries for labor productivity. Thanks to its top-rated education system, 4 national languages and English as lingua franca, attractive conditions for employees and employers, social mobility, and unmatched quality of life, Switzerland continues to be ranked as the most attractive country for talent attraction and retention worldwide.

Greater Zurich’s transportation infrastructure

Greater Zurich’s transportation infrastructure

The Greater Zurich Area's world-class infrastructure is acknowledged in various global rankings, consistently ranking as a top location for mobility, infrastructure quality, and connectedness worldwide.

Zurich Airport offers over 200,000 flights per year and over 160 destinations worldwide which means top connectivity for international headquarters functions in Greater Zurich. The train system is also highly connected, with direct routes to other major European cities, providing supply chain solutions and sustainable travel alternatives for companies and employees. 

Quality of life

Quality of life

The Greater Zurich Area offers an exceptional quality of life that is corroborated by global rankings. Zurich has consistently been ranked as one of the world's most livable cities.

Greater Zurich also consistently ranks highly in the world for quality of life, considering factors such as safety, healthcare, education, and recreation. In general, Switzerland is known for its high standard of living and exceptional healthcare system, which contribute to an enhanced quality of life for residents and companies that want to move their corporate headquarters to Greater Zurich, making it attractive not only from a business perspective but also for managers and employees alike.

Greater Zurich among the leading destinations for international companies

Greater Zurich among the leading destinations for international companies

The fDi Report 2024 recognizes the Greater Zurich Area as one of the leading business locations in Europe for internationally expanding companies. As a global tech hub, the Greater Zurich Area excels in the categories Economic Potential, Business Friendliness and Human Capital & Lifestyle.

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Greater Zurich ranks in the 2024 fdi Report among the leading business locations in Europe

Reasons why international companies choose Greater Zurich to set up their international headquarters 

Many reputed companies have found great success by establishing their international headquarters in Greater Zurich. Their success stories are a testament to the Greater Zurich Area’s long-term innate ability to nurture and elevate businesses.

Top 7 reasons for choosing Greater Zurich as a business location for international headquarters:

  1. Access to high-quality services
  2. High availability of skilled talent
  3. Superb quality of life 
  4. Exceptional business environment 
  5. Ideal location in Europe regarding connectivity and market access
  6. Diverse collaboration possibilities with leading research institutes 
  7. Global innovation hub

View the success stories below to learn more!

"The Greater Zurich Area is the optimal location for the Amgen European headquarters. It offers the perfect base for reaching out to our branches across the region and accessing the high-quality dedicated services and international talent available in Switzerland and central Europe."


Corinne Le Goff - former Senior Vice President and Europe General Manager, Amgen

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"The Greater Zurich Area is simply an outstanding location. It offers a high quality of living, is home to one of the top institutions of higher education in the world, and provides an employer-friendly climate."


Markus Gross - Professor of Computer Science at the ETH Zurich and director of Disney Research, Zurich

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Disney Research Studios Zurich

"The location in Switzerland, a country that is neutral, reliable and open to the world, aligns well with the nature of the company, which links people together from all over the world without obstacles."


Chris Petrovic - Chief Business Officer of FunPlus

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Ready to relocate to Greater Zurich?

Ready to relocate to Greater Zurich?

Looking to expand your business’ headquarters into the Greater Zurich Area?

Contact our team for help from consultation to tailor-made data, site visits, support in finding office space & real estate, and more. 

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