Auto Trader is to relocate its Manchester headquarters to Bruntwood’s Circle Square, joining several high-profile tech businesses at the new development.
The digital automotive marketplace will join the likes of HPE, Bosch and Autocab – acquired by Uber – in one of Manchester’s largest developments after agreeing to take 130,000 sq ft of specialist workspace across six floors at No.3 Circle Square, in addition to a private rooftop terrace.
The £87m, 267,000 sq ft No.3 Circle Square development forms part of an ongoing £243m investment across seven assets currently being brought forward in Manchester city centre by Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund. The building is due for completion in April 2025.
Auto Trader is the second-largest UK technology company listed on the London Stock Exchange. It will also work alongside a myriad of innovative startups and scaling enterprises within Circle Square’s Tech Incubator.
“We are deeply proud of our connection to Manchester, and over the course of the last decade, it’s become ingrained in our culture,” said Alison Ross MBE, Auto Trader’s chief people & operations director, who featured on our recent Northern Leaders list.
“The access to exceptional digital talent and skills from across the region has been integral to our growth and one of the key reasons why today, we are one of the UK’s largest technology companies.
“To continue to grow, we not only need more space to house our rapidly expanding data and technology teams, but also state-of-the-art facilities which can support their pace of innovation and ambition. We also need a space where we can welcome the wider automotive ecosystem, our partners, customers and peers to share data, insights and work collaboratively.
“The relocation of our head office to Circle Square within the heart of Manchester’s thriving tech community will help us to deliver this growth, and it reaffirms our unwavering commitment to the city.”
Josh Whiteley, commercial director, Bruntwood SciTech, added: “We are very pleased to welcome Auto Trader to No.3 Circle Square and have them join our community of science, technology and digital innovators.
“Their decision to join us highlights the vibrant, collaborative ecosystem we’ve created within Circle Square and throughout Manchester’s knowledge quarter.
“We’ve seen first-hand how the support we offer and community we’ve built at Circle Square forges connections and promotes knowledge-sharing between large, well established businesses, start ups and scale ups, from the Tech Incubator through to the large scale new buildings. All customers have access to the same talent, funding, and networking opportunities to help them develop and reach their full potential.
“As work at No.3 Circle Square progresses, we’re looking forward to welcoming even more forward-thinking businesses to the neighbourhood with more to be announced in the coming months.”