BNP Paribas Personal Finance is set to relocate 800 staff to a new UK headquarters in Solihull town centre.
From January 2025, the finance provider will move to AIR on Homer Road in Solihull, a 25,000 sq ft office offering provisions for wheelchair access, noise sensitivity, religious practices, accessible furnishing, colour blindness, a free on-site gym, collaborative work zones, and more.
BNP Paribas Personal Finance has created more than 6,000 jobs across the UK with many based in the Solihull, where it has resided for over 50 years.
The move enables the firm to boost its environmental, social and governance commitments, with AIR having an EPC rating of B, and it is hoped it will later improve this to an A rating with the introduction of government support for industrial heat pump installations.
Other features include solar panels to power all communal areas of the building, low tariff commitments which will ensure sustainable energy usage, and provisions for electric vehicle charging on-site.
Stephen Hunt, Chief Executive Officer at BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK said: “Moving to a new headquarters marks another key milestone for our business and having been part of the Solihull community for over 50 years, I am delighted to be continuing this connection to the area, as well as the wider West Midlands region.
“Not only will this space help us to continue to contribute to the local economy; it will also ensure that BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK has a modern, flexible, and efficient working environment that will support our colleagues, particularly as we adopt a more agile way of working.
“To maintain our position as a leading provider of consumer finance in what is a very dynamic and competitive market, we need to keep delivering easy to use, digitally and data driven finance solutions that our customers can trust, and I believe the environment we build is key to helping us do this.”
Ricardo Mantovani, Deputy CEO at BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK, has been overseeing the move and commented: “When looking for a new space for our headquarters, it was really important to consider how the space would complement the innovative, collaborative culture we foster here at BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK.
“Our new premises, located in the heart of Solihull, is the ideal location to start this new chapter at BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK — one that will take the business to the next level and enable us to operate in a manner that is efficient, innovative and collaborative.”
Throughout the project, WMGC supported BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK by providing introductions to key local stakeholders and consultancy to help the business raise its profile in the West Midlands marketplace.
Leader of Solihull Council, Councillor Ian Courts commented: “It’s great news that BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK has found 25,000 sq ft of office space within Solihull town centre that can accommodate their 800 workforce and support their continued growth as a business.
“Their decision to base their HQ in Solihull was also based on their desire to become an even more sustainable business and to reduce their company’s carbon footprint, which this new premises will help them to achieve.
“I think BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK’s decision demonstrates how attractive Solihull town centre remains for organisations as a place to do business and a place to invest in.”