HSBC UK tops out new head office in Birmingham

The 210,000 sq. ft. head office at Centenary Square is due to open in January 2018 and the topping out ceremony represented the completion of the physical frame of the 10 storey building. Work has now begun on interior installations including internal walls, lift machinery and plumbing.

HSBC UK is investing over £200 million in Birmingham and moving more than 1,000 head office roles to the city from London before January 1, 2019. More than half of these roles are now accounted for through a combination of people moving from London already, people moving this year, and new hires into Birmingham.

HSBC UK is taking a 250-year lease on the new head office, which will accommodate up to 2,500 people. In addition to the 1,000 head office roles moving from London, HSBC UK already employs more than 2,500 people in the city.

Antonio Simoes, CEO of HSBC Bank plc, said: “The creation of HSBC UK’s new head office in Birmingham provides us with a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a new and better bank for our customers and people. It’s important that our new head office reflects our brand, culture and heritage and we have been working hard to create the right infrastructure and environment.

“We’re proud that our new head office will be one of the greenest buildings in Birmingham and we believe its location at the heart of the UK will help us get closer to our 17 million customers across the UK. More than half of the head office roles we’re moving from London to Birmingham are now accounted for and we’re recruiting internally and externally for the remaining roles, with more than 2,000 HSBC colleagues having already registered their interest.”

The new head office building is part of the Arena Central development being delivered by ACDL, a joint venture led by Miller Developments.

Andrew Sutherland, joint managing director at Miller Developments, said: “This is a significant milestone in the delivery of this building and represents the culmination of the first phase of development. This has already become one of Birmingham’s mostly widely recognised buildings and a touchstone for the city’s inward investment potential. Work through our contractors, Galliford Try, will now continue to ensure the delivery of a truly world-class commercial environment.”