Relocating U.K. headquarters: Puma shifts operations from London to Manchester
Pumming Up Manchester:
Global shoemaker and sportswear giant, Puma, is ditching London for Manchester's buzzing city center after snagging a 20,000 sq ft space in the silicon-clad £87 million, 15-story edifice known as 3 Circle Square. Expected to open this summer, this new digs will house Puma's sales, marketing, merchandising, finance, people, and direct-to-consumer departments.
The deal with Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General, and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, comes after Auto Trader, another FTSE 100 giant, agreed to move to the building in 2026. The building comprises 267,000 sq ft and is currently undergoing its final construction stages.
Puma's decision to hop from London to Manchester precedes its European flagship store's debut on Oxford Street later in the fall.
Pumking Up the Headquarters
Lucynda Davies, UK managing director for Puma, shared her excitement about this move, "The switch to Circle Square ensures that Puma's employees will work in an environment with top-notch facilities and amenities. Plus, being surrounded by cutting-edge technology, fashion, AI, and innovation is a win for us!"
Davies continued, "Placing our headquarters in Manchester's thriving tech hub was crucial for us. It'll give us an opportunity to tap into the city's creative talent pool and build on our academic collaborations, like our partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University. We're looking forward to strengthening our relationship with this forward-thinking community."
Manchester: The Unequalled Economic Powerhouse
Josh Whiteley, commercial director at Bruntwood SciTech, weighed in on the move, "Puma joining Circle Square further cements our vision of fostering a community of tech, digital, and creative leaders, promoting knowledge-sharing, and igniting innovation. The brand's forward-thinking values mesh perfectly with ours, underscoring the dynamic and cooperative atmosphere at Circle Square."
Whiteley added, "At Circle Square, businesses, like Puma, both big and small, gain access to a bustling network of like-minded organizations, new connections, and top talent, all while enjoying state-of-the-art workspaces. Manchester's reputation as an economic powerhouse grants it an allure for disruptive, progressive companies such as Puma."
The city boasts a substantial concentration of fashion students beyond just the UK capital, with its robust history in textiles rooted in the Industrial Revolution. Becoming home to a heavy-hitter like Puma bolsters both local growth and the brand's access to workspace, talent, and companies forming the future of innovation.
Puma: On the Long, Bumpy Path to Greatness
Bruntwood SciTech, the project's developer, recently made headlines in November 2024 regarding plans to help Imperial College London construct a life sciences and deep tech development worth over £200 million in London's west. Other Circle Square tenants include HPE, Roku, Bosch, and Autocab.
Puma UK's accounts filed earlier this month show a pre-tax loss of £26 million in 2023, with revenue declining from £278.3 million to £249.3 million. It's expected to be another challenging year for the brand, with Puma UK's 2024 accounts due by the end of September. However, the relocation to a lower-cost, high-talent region like Manchester is part of the brand's strategy to minimize costs while fostering growth and innovation.
- Puma, a renowned sportswear brand, has decided to swap London for Manchester's vibrant city center, settling in the tech-centric 3 Circle Square building.
- In Manchester's thriving tech hub, Puma aims to tap into the city's creative talent pool and fortify academic collaborations, such as that with Manchester Metropolitan University.
- The move allows Puma employees to work in an environment equipped with top-notch facilities and amenities, immersed in cutting-edge technology, fashion, AI, and innovation.
- Manchester's reputation as an economic powerhouse, rich in fashion students and a history rooted in textiles, grants an appeal to disruptive, future-focused companies like Puma.
- Autocab, another FTSE 100 company, previously agreed to move to the same building in 2026, with Circle Square boasting a bustling network of like-minded organizations, new connections, and top talent.
- As Puma continues on its path to growth and innovation, the brand anticipates minimizing costs while fostering relationships within the forward-thinking Manchester community.
