New city centre HQ for expanding global executive search firm

Mackenzie Stuart, a global executive search business, has chosen Wellington Place in Leeds as its new corporate headquarters.

The company will be moving into 6 Wellington Place in February 2023, with fit-out having already begun in its 12,000 sq ft Grade A office space.

Mackenzie Stuart has been headquartered in Leeds since it was established in 2005 and has consistently experienced double digit revenue and headcount growth.

With ambitions to become a £50m turnover operation by 2026, Mackenzie Stuart has decided to relocate to a larger space at Wellington Place to accommodate its growth and create a more dynamic and engaging workspace.

7,500 sq ft of office space will include meeting rooms, quiet pods, video conferencing spaces, co-working space and private offices, while a further 4,500 sq ft will be social space providing a yoga studio, golf simulator, pool tables, casual dining areas and chill-out areas.

Will Peeke-Vout, director, said: “We knew that to deliver our ambitious growth plans and business objectives, we would need not only a significantly larger office space, but one that engaged our current employees and helped us continue to attract a high calibre of talent.

“Our new office at Wellington Place will provide us with an amazing combination of modern workspace and inspirational social space that will do just that, and we are extremely grateful to our partners at Design Tonic for turning our vision into a reality.”

Relocating from a short distance away at Whitehall Riverside, where Mackenzie Stuart have been based for 10 years, Nichola Howarth, director, added: “We are proud of our northern roots and heritage, and when we were looking for a new base in the city, Wellington Place instantly stood out as a destination that would help us achieve our workplace vision.

“Not only is the office space at Wellington Place fantastic, its location and ethos are also second to none.

“There are lots of great restaurants and bars on our doorstep and the business community spirit from across the development is incredible.”

The Mackenzie Stuart Group of companies now occupies over 45,000 sq ft of office space across Leeds, London, Harrogate and Dubai.

Dominic Paglia, group managing director, said: “Mackenzie Stuart Group have delivered exceptional growth since our inception in 2005 and today we are a £26m plus turnover business that employs over 250 employees in five locations across the UK and internationally.

“We have very ambitious growth plans and Wellington Place is the perfect location for us to continue our success story.”

Paul Pavia, commercial director at MEPC, the developer and asset manager behind Wellington Place, said: “Mackenzie Stuart is a fantastic business success story that’s evolved in Leeds, so we’re so pleased they have chosen Wellington Place as the destination to continue this growth.

“Their desire to create a workspace that places emphasis on a balance between work and social aligns exactly with what Wellington Place stands for.”

The agent letting for Wellington Place was JLL.