The Shard Is Taking Business & Community Skyward

The Shard is an entry in our Great British Brands 2024 book. 

The Shard: Great British Brand 2024

Image credit: Jason Hawkes

‘The Shard was conceived as a ‘vertical city’, designed to host many activities and communities under one roof. Today, the building hosts tenants involved in at least seven distinctly different types of activity, including offices, a hotel, a hospital, restaurants, retail spaces, a university business school and one of London’s best visitor attractions: The View from The Shard. 

In 2023, we welcomed new occupiers in leading engineering consultancy Rider Levitt Bucknall and data technology company Cognism. We have also seen the growth of existing tenants like law firm Greenberg Traurig, as well as the education excellence of the Warwick Business School, developing transformational ideas and people that will shape the future of business.

As a landmark location, The Shard is continually looking to reflect its status as a beacon for modern London. We raised the UK’s highest flag to mark the Coronation of King Charles III and reflected national pride at the Lionesses reaching the World Cup final by lighting up our spire with the English flag. As a long-time supporter, The Shard also hosted a Macmillan coffee morning in 2023, with cakes provided by top chefs from Shangri-La The Shard hotel and Oblix restaurant.

We are also involved in our surrounding neighbourhood, which was recently enhanced by the installation of a new London Bridge mosaic. To celebrate this, The Shard held a three-day artist-in-residence event with the London School of Mosaic. Occupiers were invited to help build a panel that will form part of the wider installation, drawing on the power of art to strengthen the sense of place and community.

We are seeking to grow, welcoming more pioneering businesses, alongside continuing our position as the ideal building for companies looking for a place that helps maximise their potential for success.’

Michael Baker, Chief Executive Officer of REM, the asset manager of The Shard

Five Proudest Moments

1.  When the first tenants, like intellectual property lawyers Mathys & Squire and the Al Jazeera media group, moved into The Shard in March 2014.
2. When the community at The Shard rallied together to support the NHS during the pandemic, including lighting up blue to say a collective ‘thank you’ on behalf of the nation. 
3. When The Shard stepped in to fill the gap left by the nation’s timepiece Big Ben during its restoration and counted down the seconds to midnight during the 2021 New Year’s Eve celebrations. 
4. Welcoming Queen Elizabeth II to The Shard in 2013 so she could take a first look – a proud moment for everyone who had helped conceive and construct this iconic building. 
5. Witnessing The Shard becoming an iconic building often used to define London’s modern skyline in major films and TV programmes like Spider-Man, Mission Impossible, Doctor Who and The Apprentice.

What I’ve Learnt

• The need for physical office spaces remains high for those wanting to leverage culture and the potential of their people.
• Businesses tend to gravitate towards well-located and well-specified buildings that enhance their image in the eyes of customers and employees.
• Iconic buildings like The Shard must remain agile and adapt to meet the needs of the future.

THE SHARD

REM, Level 10, The Shard, 32 London Bridge St, London SE1 9SG

+44 (0)20 7932 3678

the-shard.com

@theshardlondon