MERIDA, Yucatan, Mexico, March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the opening a new office in Merida - the largest population center in the Mexican southeastern region - as it continues to expand in the fastest growing cities in the world.

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Located in the center of Yucatan metropolitan zone, the Merida office represents an investment of approximately US$ 4 million and becomes IBM's seventh office in the country after those in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Queretaro, Toluca and Puebla.

"Our expansion into fast-growing cities in Mexico such as Merida is in line with growing demand for intelligent solutions from businesses across the region especially in the areas of cloud computing, business analytics, mobile and social computing," said Salvador Martinez Vidal, Country General Manager, IBM Mexico.

"With the opening of the Merida office, IBM reaffirms its long-term commitment to a growing number of clients and business partners who will now benefit from our direct presence in the region," said Mr. Martinez.

Over the past two decades, Mexico has undertaken major reforms to liberalize its economy which has led to the emergence of fast-growing urban centers around the country. Merida´s southeastern location and its connections to Europe, Central and South America and to the Caribbean have enabled the city to become a center for industrial growth.

Merida´s economy has undergone radical transformation in recent years as increasing investments in industries such as food-processing, clothing, education and transportation have increased its value to the regional and national economy.

"The transformational growth of Merida has driven demand for advanced technologies as companies strive to become more efficient and competitive. The cutting edge solutions that IBM provides in this market will enable the next phase of growth for this growing economy," said Rolando Zapata Bello, Governor of State of Yucatan.

Through a broad program of investment covering facilities, innovation centers, marketing, recruitment, training, academic initiatives and corporate citizenship, IBM is expanding its range of solutions and services in the region as it forges closer ties with both clients and partners.

The new office represents IBM's continued investment in Mexico, where the company expects to deepen its presence in line with increased demand for IT services and products.

With over 85 years in Mexico, IBM is actively investing in its Mexican operations - putting in place advanced infrastructure for service delivery, enhancing its manufacturing capabilities and expanding its footprint in high-growth locations.

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Contacts:

Susana Maldonado
IBM Mexico
smaldona@mx1.ibm.com
+52 55-5270-6502

Jonathan Batty
IBM Growth Markets Unit
jonathan.Batty@pl.ibm.com
+48-693-93-5403

SOURCE IBM