NEWS UK CFO: WHY OUR NEW HOME WILL HELP US ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT
News UK is a global media business comprising The Times, The Sun and The Sunday Times. As chief financial officer, Chris Longcroft was in charge of the move to The News Building in London Bridge.
What prompted news UK's move to the London Bridge Quarter?
A key motivation was the opportunity to bring all parts of NewsCorp in the UK – that is, News UK, HarperCollins, and Dow Jones – together, under one roof. The move is going to help us work more closely and collaboratively, and to leverage our creativity and talent across all of these businesses. London Bridge is a superb location – one of the best-connected travel hubs in the UK, with a fantastic network of shops and restaurants.
What do you think are the business benefits of the move?
This is a new chapter for News UK. By signing a 30-year lease, we are showing our determination to secure a sustainable future for our journalism and our commitment to this city and the UK, as well as reflecting our deep roots here.
Our editorial teams now have the perfect working environment with a floor each, making a big difference in our ability to get a newspaper out every night, and also update our digital-product offerings around the clock. I've no doubt that being in the heart of London will really help us retain existing talent and attract new talent throughout the business.
“LONDON BRIDGE IS A SUPERB LOCATION – ONE OF THE BEST-CONNECTED TRAVEL HUBS IN THE UK”
Chris Longcroft
Are your staff pleased with their new home?
I was impressed at how quickly people moved into the building and were getting on with their jobs almost seamlessly. There is a general excitement about this new chapter and our relocation to the neighbourhood. Being able to walk along the Thames to galleries and theatres, shopping at Borough Market. And the views from the offices are spectacular – you've got St Paul's on one side, the City of London on the other.
Do you envisage there will be opportunities to work with other businesses in the local area?
Southwark is going through this regeneration in which we feel we're playing an important role. This is a thriving business community, and bringing in 4,500 people is clearly going to make a positive impact on the local economy.
With three floors available to lease here in The News Building, there is also the opportunity for other businesses to work much more closely with us if they wish! From a philanthropic perspective, we've also partnered with Southwark Council on a number of projects, most recently donating Nexus and iPad tablets to local libraries in the borough, and we're keen to continue this relationship with our neighbours.
