PICS: ITWeb visits Vivo’s headquarters in China

By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor

Johannesburg, 25 Sept 2026

Vivo’s new global headquarters. (Photograph by Simnikiwe Mzekandaba)

Nestled within the leafy suburbs of China’s Shenzhen is the newly-opened global headquarters and campus of smartphone manufacturer Vivo.

Shenzhen is considered China’s trading city and is home to some of the country’s major IT firms and brands, including Huawei, Honor, Oppo and now Vivo.

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ITWeb was invited to attend Vivo’s product experience and the launch event of the X500 series in Shanghai, China. These are the latest flagship handsets that will also be launched in South Africa later in the year.

The experience included a tour of the new Vivo headquarters, as well as a behind the scenes look at its manufacturing centre and production line located in Dongguan.

Described as combining traditional and modern architecture, the new facility serves as the office for the marketing, sales, corporate services and the company’s executives. Vivo’s workforce consists of over 14 000 people, spread across different geographies.

The seating area inside the exhibition centre. (Photograph by Simnikiwe Mzekandaba)

BBK, Vivo’s predecessor, was founded in 1995 in Dongguan.

The Vivo brand was officially launched in 2011, which according to the company, marked the release of its first mass-produced smartphone, the Vivo V1, featuring an in-display fingerprint sensor.

A Vivo smartwatch on display in the exhibition centre. (Photograph by Simnikiwe Mzekandaba)

In 2014, the company began its global expansion and now counts markets like South Africa among those where its handsets and smart devices are available. Vivo started its local operations in 2019.

In 2016, it established its 5G research institute. It also established its robotics lab and saw the development of its first mixed reality headset in 2025.

Vivo smartphones over the years and the mixed reality headset. (Photograph by Simnikiwe Mzekandaba)

As a tech company, Vivo says research and development (R&D) is a top priority, with 75% of the workforce engaged in R&D.

According to Vivo, it operates two intelligent manufacturing centres in China, alongside ones that are licensed in India, Indonesia and Brazil. Vivo says its annual production capacity is nearly 200 million units, delivering its products and services to nearly 500 million users in over 60 countries.

Vivo says its new devices focus on imaging and tech-driven performance.