BNP Paribas Real Estate is to manage the relocation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to its new home in Canary Wharf, London; the biggest leasing deal signed in London this year.
The bank will occupy the top 12 floors of the new 24-storey building in Bank Street, Canary Wharf from 2022, with around 2,500 employees in a 111,250 m2 space.
BNP RE will oversee consultant procurement, as well as matters of design and construction in the process of migrating the bank from the City of London, where it has been located since 1993. BNP also oversaw the leasing deal, earlier this year.
The move underlines the continuing significance of London as a capital of international business, despite ongoing Brexit uncertainty. The EBRD promotes private sector investment in 38 developing countries on three continents.
Welcoming the latest development, Tim Edmunds, director of project management at BNP RE, said: ‘We are delighted to have been trusted with this significant instruction and to be able to play a leading role in assisting EBRD in shaping a new and welcoming HQ for its staff.
‘Working closely with our colleagues in the leasing team has really put us one step ahead and allowed us to better understand what the Bank wants to achieve with its new home. It’s an incredibly exciting journey to be part of, from finding the Bank’s HQ to continuing this relationship and completing the project with them.’
András Simor, senior vice president, chief financial officer and chief operating officer, at EBRD said: ‘We are greatly looking forward to our move to Canary Wharf. Our ambition was to find a world-class location for our staff, enabling us to continue our mission to change lives in the countries where we operate.’
