Google spends $1 bn on its new London office

18 Jan 2022 CW Team

Tech major Google told the media that it has spent $1 billion to purchase a central London building where it is presently a tenant, displaying its confidence in the future of the office as a place to work.

Google, which employs 6,400 people in Britain, aims a multi-million-pound refurbishment of its offices within the Central Saint Giles development it is purchasing, close to Covent Garden in central London.

Ruth Porat, CFO of Google's parent company Alphabet, told the media that they have been privileged to work in the UK for about 20 years, and their acquisition of the Central Saint Giles development reflects their continued commitment to the nation's development and success.

Google aims to refit the building for in-person teamwork and has meeting rooms for hybrid working and generating more space for individuals.

The new refurbishment will additionally feature outdoor covered working spaces to allow work in the fresh air, the firm told the media.

Google said it would ultimately have the capacity for 10,000 workers at its UK sites, comprising one being built in the nearby King's Cross area of London.

Google said last month that it was postponing its return-to-office plan globally amid increasing problems over the Omicron variant of the Covid-19.

The Central Saint Giles building had been held by a joint venture (JV) between Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets and Mitsubishi Estate London Limited.

Image Source

Also read: Flexible leases will be a boon in the post-pandemic market

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..