The Corporation has today launched a proactive new business service, the City Business Investment Unit (CBIU), to support and accelerate the Square Mile’s post-pandemic economic renaissance. Designed to attract, retain, and grow investment in London’s historic financial district, the CBIU will offer tailored, concierge-style support to both new and existing occupiers and investors.
The CBIU will provide:
– Pro-active business engagement through a concierge-style service offering tailored support to investors, developers, and occupiers, helping them navigate planning, licensing, and City services
– Strategic intelligence and insights with market analysis and sector-specific intelligence to guide investment decisions and inform planning and policy.
– Relationship management via a structured key account management approach to build and maintain relationships with top occupiers and investors.
– Targeted promotion and lead generation with evidence-led outreach and campaigns to attract high-value businesses and investment to the Square Mile.
– Skills and growth support through integration with initiatives like the Skyline Skills Hub to connect businesses with talent, training, and SME support networks.
The launch comes as confidence in the City continues to build. The City is home to over 678,000 workers, a record £109.2 billion in GVA in 2023, and one of Europe’s strongest pipelines of new, sustainable office space. Demand for Grade A office space remains high, with a vacancy rate of just 1.5%. New data shows rising footfall, record job creation, and a wave of major occupiers, including HSBC, Clifford Chance and tech firm CUBE, reaffirming their long-term presence in the Square Mile.
Backed by industry, the CBIU will target sectors central to Britain’s future economic growth, including financial and professional services, FinTech, RegTech, green finance, life sciences, artificial intelligence, and the creative industries. By attracting firms in these fields, the unit aims to generate highly productive jobs, stimulate inward investment, and position the City as a launchpad for global growth. Critically, it will also target the investment needed to develop the commercial and wider accommodation that the City needs to attract these sectors.
Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman at the Corporation, said:
“The Square Mile remains the beating heart of the UK economy, and our new City Business Investment Unit will ensure it stays ahead of the competition.
“The Unit’s purpose is to attract, retain and grow the number of businesses and investment into the Square Mile, ensuring the long-term dynamism and prosperity of the , and the wider UK. It’s an acknowledgment that global competition for business occupiers and the talent they recruit is fierce and intensifying.
“We are future-proofing London’s global competitiveness, attracting world-class businesses, and making the City a dynamic, thriving destination for investment and talent.”
ENDS
Notes to editors –
The Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile, London’s financial and commercial district. It supports the UK’s economic growth, promotes London’s global competitiveness, and provides world-class services to residents, workers, and visitors.
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