Shenzhenruns on a handful of strong industries. If you’re job-hunting or weighing a move, here’s where the opportunities (and the big-name employers) are.
Top industries & employers
Telecoms & hardware
Huawei, ZTE, DJI, TCL, Transsion
Huawei's Longgang campus and DJI's headquarters are here, and the surrounding supply chain in Shenzhen and neighbouring Dongguan is why the city is the default place on earth to build physical products.
Internet & gaming
Tencent, Kingdee, Meitu operations
Tencent is headquartered in Nanshan and is one of the largest technology companies in the world. Its presence is why Shenzhen has a serious software labour market alongside the hardware one.
Electric vehicles & batteries
BYD, CATL operations, Xpeng in nearby Guangzhou
BYD began in Shenzhen as a battery maker and is now among the world's largest electric vehicle manufacturers. The city's entire taxi and bus fleet was electrified early, which is why it is noticeably quieter than other Chinese cities.
Finance & insurance
Ping An, China Merchants Bank, Shenzhen Stock Exchange
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange is China's growth-company market, and Ping An and China Merchants Bank are both headquartered here — a substantial financial sector distinct from Shanghai's.
Biotech & genomics
BGI Genomics, Mindray, Shenzhen Bay laboratories
BGI is one of the world's largest genome sequencing organisations and Mindray a major medical device manufacturer, anchoring a research cluster around Shenzhen Bay and the Guangming science city.
Logistics, trade & manufacturing services
SF Express, Yantian International Container Terminals, China Merchants Port
Yantian is one of the busiest container terminals in the world and SF Express is China's leading express carrier. Shenzhen's port and customs infrastructure is a large employer in its own right.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.