Peninsula subsidiary Croner-i to move into new London headquarters

HR, health & safety, tax, accounting and compliance advisory firm Croner-i has invested in a multi-million London headquarters at 240 Blackfriars Road. The office space will serve primarily as a base for the company's in-house content and technical writers, technology, sales, product development and client experience teams.

In 2016, Croner-i was snapped up by Peninsula Business Services, one of the largest health and safety and employment law consultancies in the UK, giving the firm access to financial backing which enabled its expansion. Speaking in 2016, Peter Done, Group Managing Director of Peninsula Business Services, said, “This is an exciting acquisition which complements Peninsula’s existing business, in that both organisations focus on different sectors of the marketplace.”

At the time, the deal sparked interest from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), as the two firms operate in a similar marketplace and with relatively similar offerings. However, the deal was cleared for completion, as Manchester based Peninsula however focuses on SMEs and mid-sized clients (estimated to be 28,000 across the UK) across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, while Croner focuses on larger organisations.

Joining Peninsula, which boasted revenues of £116 million at the time, was seen as a win for Croner-i executives, as it opened up possibilities of expanding its team and offerings. Two years later, Croner-i has utilised this opportunity to take up residence in a new office in London’s historic Bankside district. The firm’s new space will house the company's in-house content and technical writers, technology, sales, product development and client experience teams, while allowing for further growth for the business across a range of disciplines – with Croner-i aiming to expand its workforce to 150 employees in the near future. The modern, sustainable and innovative office at 240 Blackfriars Road boasts collaborative working areas, break out spaces, an innovative studio for e-learning and even a Sky Bar – complete with a baby grand piano and views of London’s impressive skyline to help employees get the most from their workplace experience.

Croner-i’s CEO, Bertrand Stern-Gillet, has argued that the move is a statement of intent, as the firm takes up its lot in an area with a large consulting industry presence. With Big Four firms PwC and Deloitte both holding spaces around the corner, also resident on Blackfriars Road are engineering consultants Hurley Palmer Flatt, business consultants Adam Smith International and Bovill, and health and safety advisors Metro Safety, among others.

Stern-Gillet said, "Not only will our new headquarters meet our aspirations for growth, but it also reflects our ambition to be recognised as the leading provider of information to HR, health and safety, tax, accounting and compliance professionals within the UK.”

Peter Done, who is also a co-founder of Croner-i’s parent firm Peninsula, said, “This is a very exciting move for Croner-i and builds, right in the heart of the capital city, on the growing demand for their services. The group has a proud culture of innovation and constant improvement and the new London office for Croner-i is a testimony to this. As some businesses are relocating their operations away from London, we look forward to building towards economic growth in this fantastic location.”