Financial services
Glasgow's International Financial Services District (IFSD) was established 5 years ago and has already attracted 10,000 jobs to Glasgow. High profile financial institutions with international reputations have chosen Glasgow as the place to grow their businesses. Key employers include
- Morgan Stanley
- Royal Bank of Scotland and Direct Line
- JP Morgan
- National Australia Bank
- Esure
- BNP Paribas
- Barclays Wealth
- AXA Insurance
- Marsh
- Lloyds TSB
The IFSD is located between the historic business centre of Glasgow and the river, adjacent to Glasgow Central Station. The area includes many of Glasgow’s largest office buildings including Aurora with 10 floors and 200,000 ft2. Aurora is one of six large buildings completed in the last three years, with most of the space now occupied. Three more buildings are under construction: 4 Atlantic Quay is due for completion in 2007, Cuprum and 141 Bothwell Street will be available in 2008. Other projects will follow, with four further phases of Atlantic Quay, three buildings at 220 Broomielaw, 5 Waterloo Street and three smaller buildings (around 50,000 ft2) planned near Central Station.
On the western edge of the IFSD the next phase of Central Quay will begin in 2007 and include a large speculative office building.
Awards
The success of IFSD Glasgow has already been widely recognised. The project has won
- a Highly Commended Award in the prestigious RICS Regeneration Awards the UK's Best Commercial Led Regeneration Project
- an award for Partnership from the Chicago based International Economic Development Council
- the title of Best European City for IT and Telecoms from Foreign Direct Investment magazine
Beyond IFSD
There are several other locations offering space outside the city centre which may well be useful to financial services businesses which do not need the city centre location and the proximity of other companies.
- Pacific Quay is only a mile from the IFSD and will construct their next major speculative office building this year with entry in 2008. They can also develop to order.
- 133 Finnieston Street is under construction near the SECC includes suites from 5,000 ft2
- Glasgow Harbour intends to build large waterfront south-facing office buildings as part of later phases
- In Renfrew a business centre is under construction on the waterfront and sites are available for building your own headquarters
- In Clydebank an enterprise centre is under construction as the first phase of the Queen’s Quay business park