Amazon to set up intl centre

Nasdaq-listed internet retailer Amazon.com is to set up an international software development centre in Chennai.

The Chennai centre, which is its fourth international centre, would focus on developing innovative features for Amazon's customers around the world and discover anything they want to buy online.

The centre is expected to be operational by the end of 2005. The company is interested in tapping innovative talents available in Chennai, Amit Agarwal, managing director, Amazon Development Centre India, told Business Standard.

However, he declined to disclose the number of employees the company would be recruiting. According to a company press release, the Amazon development centre in Chennai will manage all technology aspects of the website features.

This ownership includes idea generation, analysis and technical design, as well as front, middle and back-tier software development across a variety of architectures and technologies.

The new centre is looking for "exceptional" computer scientists and software engineers with an entrepreneurial spirit. The company is expected to recruit people from November 14 in Chennai.

Amzon at present has a development centre in Bangalore, started a year ago, and a customer support centre in Hyderbad. The centre in Bangalore focuses on web services and search features.

Bangalore Centre has developed a product which will allow customer access to product news and product reviews.