Financial services firm relocates strategically to Zuidas.
From fragmentation across two locations to a single representative headquarters with sharp governance and 22% less m² per fte.
The challenge
The organisation was spread across two Amsterdam offices, with lease expiries within 18 months. The board wanted a representative headquarters that sent the right signal to clients, talent and regulators — but had no consensus on location, size or workplace model. The CFO wanted m² reduction, the CEO wanted presence, HR wanted talent magnetism. Every conversation ended in the middle with no decision.
Our approach
We started with a strategic intent backed by both the board and the supervisory board: one headquarters on Zuidas fit for the position the firm wants to hold in five years — not its current size. On that basis we shortlisted six properties down to two, using a property scorecard that weighed strategic fit, accessibility, expandability and total cost of occupancy. In parallel we locked a workplace concept (activity-based with fixed team zones) and an agreed occupancy ratio of 0.7 seats per fte. Governance was anchored in a steering committee with CEO, CFO and COO — and three go/no-go moments for the investment.
The result
The firm signed 4,800 m² on Zuidas — 22% less m² per fte than before, at significantly higher quality per m². Delivery came in on budget and on time. More importantly: because the workplace model was locked before design started, both the contractor and the interior architect could operate within sharp boundaries without scope drift. Attracting talent from competing Zuidas firms became measurably easier within 12 months.
Key outcomes
“The strategic intent set upfront protected us from two decisions that would otherwise certainly have been wrong.”
Anonymised client — details adjusted to protect identity.