Senior KPMG team inspects fit-out of new Glasgow office

Senior KPMG management have received a preview of the global professional services firm’s premium new offices in Glasgow, which are being constructed as part of ambitious growth plans in Scotland.

Craig Anderson, current regional chair of KPMG in Scotland, Catherine Burnet, who was recently appointed to lead the firm’s business in Scotland when Craig retires in October, and Phil Charles, senior partner in the company’s Glasgow office, visited St. Vincent Plaza where the company has leased almost 40,000 sq ft.

KPMG is due to move from its existing premises in West George Street in Glasgow to St. Vincent Plaza in the autumn. Around 350 Glasgow based staff will transfer to the new Grade A premises. The firm also employs more than 175 people at its UK Tax Centre of Excellence at 123 St Vincent Street in the city.

St Vincent Plaza occupies a prominent position in the west of Glasgow City Centre overlooking the M8 motorway, which connects Glasgow and Edinburgh. Other occupants of the building include whisky firm Whyte & Mackay and Registers of Scotland, a non-ministerial government department.

International construction services firm ISG is in the process of transforming floors eight to ten of St. Vincent Plaza to create impressive new offices that will provide KPMG staff with a high quality working environment and encourage positive client engagement.

The layout will include meeting rooms, offices, open plan work spaces, break out areas and a high specification dining area with a full commercial kitchen.

The construction of KPMG’s new offices is supporting a number of local contractors including The FES Group, which is head-quartered in Stirling and is one of the UK’s largest independent technical services companies.

Ms Burnet said: “It’s exciting to see our new state-of-the-art Glasgow offices taking shape and nearing completion.

“Glasgow is strategically very important to KPMG. When we based our tax centre of excellence in Glasgow three years ago the city had faced stiff competition from other sites, but we were particularly impressed by its high quality resource pool and the support we received from stakeholders.

“Now we are delivering another vote of confidence in the city by moving 350 staff from our offices at 191 West George Street to St. Vincent Plaza, where we have leased the top three floors.

“It’s going to be a great space for both staff and clients, with plenty of room to grow our business. We’re keen to share the benefits of our new offices with existing and prospective clients and support initiatives that will benefit them such as networking events. One of our key considerations when planning our move was ease of access for clients.

“Creating our new offices has also been an opportunity to support Scottish jobs and the local economy. It was very important to us to use local contractors and local workforces during the construction and fit-out of our new premises. And I’m pleased to say they’ve done a fantastic job so far.

“We look forward to welcoming staff and clients to St. Vincent Plaza in due course and continuing to expand our services in Scotland.”

Chris McPherson, development director of Abstract, the property investment firm that led the development of St. Vincent Plaza, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome KPMG to St. Vincent Plaza and we are delighted that we have been able to provide a state of the art building that will meet their rigorous global occupational standards for years to come.”