LONDON, October 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne MP, today opened Elsevier's advanced technology hub in a sign of London's growing importance as a global science and technology centre.

The advanced technology hub for Elsevier - RELX Group's provider of information solutions in the scientific, medical and technical fields - demonstrates the company's migration from a publisher to a technology company that uses big data concepts to enhance the performance of scientists and health professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and make groundbreaking discoveries.

Ron Mobed, chief executive officer of Elsevier, said: "Today's opening is another vote of confidence in London. The UK capital has a strong claim to be Europe's digital capital, but it is also increasingly recognised as the region's centre of excellence for science. Elsevier is helping improve the productivity of academic research globally as well as increasing the return on the government's investment in UK science."

The Chancellor Rt Hon George Osborne, said: "I'm delighted to open Elsevier's advanced technology hub here in London. The creation of this centre of excellence and the 150 new jobs is further evidence that the government's strategy of backing technology and creating high skilled jobs is delivering. London is beating other global cities in terms of attracting vital investment from companies that can choose where they locate their technology hubs - and RELX Group's commitment today perfectly illustrates that. It is particularly exciting that Elsevier's tech hub is focused on developing new software that will raise the productivity of the UK research base and enable scientists here to make discoveries faster."

The advanced technology hub will also house Elsevier's Mendeley, a global collaborative research platform with more than 4m users in 180 countries worldwide. It offers a suite of cloud-based tools which enable scientists to discover content, organize their papers, and connect with other researchers around the world. Mendeley has been able to grow substantially since it was acquired by Elsevier in 2013, helping researchers accelerate the pace of scientific discovery.

The new headquarters is at the Alphabeta development in Shoreditch, where RELX Group has taken a 10-year lease on a 19,000 sq ft office. The facility houses engineers, data scientists and product managers in a building that includes digital user-testing facilities, a yoga room, a basketball court and a ramp that allows cyclists to ride directly into the building. The new office enables innovation and collaboration in a fast-paced, fun environment.

The hub will house 200 staff, of which 150 will be new jobs for the UK.

RELX Group, whose global headquarters is in London, employs 7,000 technologists around the world, deploying its big data capabilities to help scientists make new discoveries, lawyers win cases and doctors save lives. 

About Elsevier 

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes more than 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com

About RELX Group
RELX Group is a world‐leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries. The group employs about 28,500 people of whom half are in North America. RELX PLC, the London Stock Exchange listed shareholding vehicle, holds 52.9% of the shares in RELX Group. RELX NV, the Amsterdam Stock Exchange listed shareholding vehicle, holds 47.1% of the shares in RELX Group. The shares are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX and RENX. The total market capitalisation is approximately £24bn / €33.3bn / $36.8bn. 
http://www.relx.com

Media contact
RELX Group Media Contacts
Paul Abrahams, RELX Group
paul.abrahams@relx.com
+44-(0)20-7166-5724

RELX Group Investor Relations
Colin Tennant, RELX Group
colin.tennant@relx.com
+44-(0)20-7166-5751

SOURCE Elsevier on behalf of RELX Group