Puma commits to No.3 Circle Square
The global sportswear brand is to make the £87m Manchester building its UK headquarters, signing for 20,000 sq ft with landlord Bruntwood SciTech.
Located on the Oxford Road Corridor, Circle Square has been a flagship project for Bruntwood SciTech, the joint venture between the Manchester property company, L&G, and Greater Manchester Pension Fund.
No.3 Circle Square forms the latest phase of the neighbourhood’s masterplan and offers 267,000 sq ft over 15 floors of new workspace focused on innovation businesses.
Contractor GMI is closing on completion of construction, with opening due this summer. Bridge Architects designed the building.
Puma, kit provider to Manchester City and Oldham Athletic among others, has a small presence in Manchester currently, but with this move will relocate its UK HQ from London, specifically Se Containers House close to Blackfriars Bridge.
This will make Manchester home to the UK operation’s sales, marketing, merchandising, finance, people & operations and direct-to-consumer departments.
A new HQ follows the announcement of Puma’s first ever European flagship store which will open on Oxford Street, London, this autumn.
Puma said it is looking to further links already made in Manchester, such as an existing relationship with Manchester Metropolitan University, where it sits on an advisory board for its Manchester Fashion Institute.
Lucynda Davies, UK and Ireland managing director, said: “The move to Circle Square and state-of-the-art facilities on offer forms a key part of our strategy for providing PUMA’s employees with a first class working environment with top facilities and amenities. All whilst being at the centre of a community which offers leading technology, fashion, AI and innovation.
“Being surrounded by such a strong line up of industry was an important factor, and to find somewhere in the heart of Manchester’s thriving tech community is exactly what we hoped for. Being based at Circle Square will also open up a host of opportunities to tap into the city’s creative talent pool and strengthen our existing links with academic partners like Manchester Metropolitan University – of which we get the added benefit of Bruntwood SciTech being a partner.
“We’ve already experienced many of the gains that a thriving city like Manchester affords, and in December 2024, we teamed up with Manchester City FC to launch an innovative AI platform for fans to flex their design skills for the club’s official third kit. Now, through our new UK HQ, we look forward to further integrating ourselves in the city’s innovative community.”
Josh Whiteley, commercial director at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “PUMA joining Circle Square underlines our ambition to build a thriving community of technology, digital and creative leaders and promote knowledge-sharing and innovation.
“The brand’s own ethos to innovate and grow marries perfectly with our vision, and its arrival highlights the vibrant and collaborative destination that we have built at Circle Square.”
The first two office buildings at Circle Square – the site that formerly housed the BBC before its move to MediaCity – are fully let. Another business on the way to No. 3 will be Auto Trader, which will account for around half of the building in a 130,000 sq ft deal announced in January.
On the Puma deal, Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “When a major global brand chooses to have its UK headquarters in Manchester it is a significant announcement for our city which illustrates our international impact.
“Manchester is a city of innovation and a city of style and we’re pleased that PUMA have decided our existing ecosystem – the talent pool available and links with like-minded businesses and institutions – make it the perfect fit for them.
“We look forward to welcoming PUMA to Circle Square and seeing what interesting new opportunities their presence here will open up both for them and for Manchester people.”
Another great example of North shoring. Just shows that if you have the grade A office space already built the jobs will follow. Well done Puma.
By John
nice! we need more big business coming to the North
By Anonymous
Welcome to Manchester. Join the throng!
By Anonymous
But…but….the office market is dead
By Don cheglioni
Every survey of young people and especially highly skilled young people shoes they no interest to work in office building and expensive commute.But out of date management and developers just don’t get it and think they can force young people to return office.
By Grace Smith
“Out of date developers and management!” 😂 oh please tell us that when you run the world. Until then be glad you have a job that pays and realise that nobody in this world owes you anything. Even if you couldn’t be replaced with others that would be happy to travel to the office, AI and humanoid robots are almost here and there isn’t a single job that won’t be touched by it within the next few years. These are the golden times.
By Anonymous
Good to see my pension fund contributions being put to good use !
By ETC
Amazing news. I hope many more major brands follow suit. And as for the whole young people don’t want to return to the office thing—I’m very happy to do 3 to 4 days a week if the office is well designed and located.
By Anonymous
As a young person my apartment is only six hundred meters from my office now. I love to go in to circle square..you get sick of looking at the same four walls no matter how nice they are!
By Anonymous
@12.17pm No interest to work in an office building & expensive commute, same here, great comment. Good luck with the long term career Grace and those that completed the survey. Well done to Puma for choosing Manchester
By Retired
@anon 11:57 agreed. It doesn’t help too that most new apartments in Manchester are built without balconies to escape those four walls when you’re at home.
By Anonymous