Willis Moving to Lime Street; Signs New London Headquarters Building Lease

Global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings is moving its world headquarters to Lime Street – across the street from Lloyd’s. Chairman and CEO Joe Plumeri has signed a Lease Agreement for the property at 51 Lime Street with long time client British Land plc.

Willis said the site is in the process of being cleared and a new “high tech, state-of-the-art facility” will begin construction in early 2005. The architects are Foster and Partners, designers of Willis’ renowned glass-faced offices in Ipswich, the British Museum Rotunda and the Glyndebourne Opera House. Willis expects to move in by the second half of 2007.

“In a design that will be an architectural London landmark, Willis will occupy the 23 story tower, which has approximately 320,000 square feet of usable office space, and will initially sublet the 120,000 square feet in the low rise portion of the building,” said the announcement. “All Willis Associates based at Ten Trinity Square and 1 Camomile Street will move into the new headquarters, to be named the Willis Building.”

Wills said the building would boast “the latest technology,” and will include “a staff restaurant with an outdoor terrace, an executive dining and board room with another outdoor terrace, an auditorium for large gatherings, a fitness center, a day care facility, a training center and retail shops on the ground level to provide staff amenities – all framed through a dramatic entrance with advanced security.”

“The Willis Building will be truly iconic, with a fantastic working environment and the latest technology”, Plumeri commented. “It meets all our needs, for today and the future. By bringing all our London-based Associates together, we will be able to work more efficiently, communicate faster and reinforce our One Team approach. And, it puts us precisely where we belong – at the heart of the insurance capital of the world.”

Topics London