WP Engine Celebrates a Decade of Growth and Innovation in Ireland

WP Engine, a global web enablement company for websites built on WordPress®¹, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Limerick office, reflecting its long-term commitment to the people, businesses and economy of the region.

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, WP Engine opened its Irish operations in September 2016 with a team of 10. A decade on, the office, now based on Henry Street in the heart of Limerick, has grown into a strategic international office with over 70 people and almost 100 people across the country — spanning multiple departments including finance, customer success, engineering, product, and HR — supporting customers and teams around the world.

A decade of growth

WP Engine selected Limerick as its first Irish office for the region’s technology talent, strong education sector and growing reputation for international investment. Over the past decade, WP Engine has invested €98 million in its Irish operation and the regional economy, and supported over 180,000 customers through work led or delivered from Ireland.

“It’s amazing to see what a decade of resilience can do. I am so proud to see the WP Engine Ireland team grow into a global hub that touches almost every part of our business,” said Heather Brunner, Chairwoman and CEO of WP Engine. “Being based in the heart of Limerick has given us access to extraordinary talent, and it’s a big part of why this office has scaled the way it has over the past decade.”

Supporting Limerick’s local community

WP Engine has built long-term partnerships with several universities and technological institutions across Ireland, including the University of Limerick, IDA Ireland, and Limerick City and County Council, where they support employment and skills development through university co-op programmes, Transition Year placements and mentorships.

“Over the years, 40 University of Limerick students have completed their placements with WP Engine, spanning a range of disciplines including AI, risk, computing and design. This is a reflection not only of WP Engine’s evolution as an organisation, but also of its longstanding commitment to developing emerging talent and creating meaningful opportunities for UL students to learn, contribute and grow,” said Dr Susan Daly, Manager of Co-op Education, Business and IT, at the University of Limerick. “We are delighted to have been part of the journey and look forward to continuing our partnership into the future.”

Looking ahead

“WP Engine’s growth in Limerick over the past decade is an endorsement of the Mid West region’s technology talent and its established innovation ecosystem. Since 2016 the company has become an important part of Limerick’s technology cluster, from where it supports high-value global functions. Its continued investment, including the development of AI expertise in Ireland, reflects the strategic role regional locations play in helping FDI innovate and scale across Ireland,” said Dónal Travers, Executive Director IDA Ireland. “I wish WP Engine continued success as it marks this important milestone and look forward to our continued partnership as it embarks on the next phase of its growth.”

WP Engine remains committed to its presence in Limerick and to developing the skills and capabilities needed to support the next phase of the company’s growth.

The team is taking the lead in the company’s global adoption of AI, helping to shape its internal roadmap and the continued integration of AI across the business. This year, WP Engine appointed its first AI Technical Architect and AI Principal Product Manager in Ireland, strengthening its local expertise and creating further opportunities for AI innovation and research.

“The technology landscape has changed enormously since we first arrived in Limerick in 2016. What’s remained constant is the quality of our people and their appetite to solve difficult problems and support our customers,” said Heather Brunner. “This milestone belongs to our customers and to the partners and organisations who’ve supported us along the way. We’re incredibly proud of our first ten years in Limerick, and excited about what the next ten will bring,” adds Brunner.

About WP Engine

WP Engine empowers companies and agencies of all sizes to build, power, manage, and optimize their WordPress websites and applications with confidence. The global technology company serves and powers more than 5 million sites, providing premium, enterprise-grade solutions, tools, and services, including specialized hosting platforms for websites built on WordPress, industry-tailored agency solutions, and developer-centric tools like Advanced Custom Fields, NitroPack, Local, and more. Innovative technology and industry-leading expertise are why Pandora, Experian, Equifax, VMware, HubSpot, and Dell choose WP Engine. Learn more at wpengine.com.

^[1]WP Engine is a proud member and supporter of the community of WordPress® users. The WordPress® trademark is the intellectual property of the WordPress Foundation, and the Woo® and WooCommerce® trademarks are the intellectual property of WooCommerce, Inc. Uses of the WordPress®, Woo®, and WooCommerce® names in this website are for identification purposes only and do not imply an endorsement by WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc. WP Engine is not endorsed or owned by, or affiliated with, the WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc.