Third Think London FDI Barometer Results coming soon

Using a location to optimise operational efficiencies has increased in importance amongst our 280 survey respondents, particularly for those companies that have set up in London in the last two years.

This is spot on with earlier research Think London have done on foreign direct investment in the post-recession era. It demonstrated that companies are predicted to focus on consolidation and optimisation as they reconfigure their global footprints to take advantage of lower operating costs.

This is good news for businesses who play with the thought of setting up business in London or who are already expanding business in London. Just find a multi-sector, multi-cultural, well connected, top talent and innovative hub that pulls together all your key success drivers in a better way than London does.

The FDI Barometer has also shown that the importance of London’s availability of talent has risen sharply up the rankings, with almost a third of large companies ranking it as the most unique factor of differentiation when compared with other major international cities. It has long been a fact that London recruitment pools top talent from all over the world, offering the largest regional workforce in Europe and a labour pool of over nine million people.

But now, more and more businesses realise how much London scores in this field. London’s resilience as a location for business development is now more certain than ever, with its reputation as a safe hub underlining the steady rise in confidence seen in Wave 2 of the Barometer. This is a trend that our London consultants at Think London expect to see continuing and we are already excited about the findings of Wave 3, which we will complete towards the end of this year.

London's 1000 most influential people 2010: Running London

Michael Charlton, Chief Executive, Think London has been ranked by the Evening Standard amongst its 1000 most influential people within the Running London category.

According to the Evening Standard's Geordie Greig: "London does seem to be more vibrant, creative, and compelling than any other place in the world. Zest for life, competitive spirit and funkapolitan style are all part of London's formula to be the greatest city in the world. Its influence stems from the extraordinary people who live and work here, so many being world-beaters in their field. And these achievers, from the worlds of finance and politics to the arts and sport, all form a part of the London Evening Standard's 1000 most influential people.

"They don't just lead in their field, they change it. They are pioneering and bold. And they are too eclectic to pigeon-hole. There are entrepreneurs and eccentrics, sports heroes and moneymen, poets and rock stars. Many are not only influential in Britain but also have global reputations.

"We are very proud of our list of the 1000 people who influence London life and beyond because they make our capital a more interesting place. I very much hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did compiling it."

Michael Charlton has been Chief Executive of Think London for nearly ten years. Over his time he has seen hundreds of companies successfully set up business in London. Michael has led a team of experienced London consultants to work with a wide range of overseas companies to see their international business development strategies come to fruition. From the 2012 Games to the raft of other business opportunities available in London, Think London has ensured their clients expand in London and succeed.

From offering support for London recruitment, London commercial property, business development and all other aspects required when looking at setting up business in London, Think London is here to help throughout the process.

Don't just take our word for it, hear what our clients have to say, including Alibaba.com, Closed Loop London, Microsoft Search Technology Centre, Prime Focus, Costco Wholesale and many more on our Think London YouTube channel

Setting up business in London is the number 1 choice

As the official foreign direct investment agency for London it is our mission to promote London as the world capital of business.

But why take our word for it …. we were very pleased to see that London has been officially ranked, yet again, by a number of sources as the number one city destination for business.

As we recently announced, Cushman & Wakefield ranked London number one for business. But also IBM's 2010 Global Location Trends report has ranked London as the number one location based on the number of investment projects.

London’s strengths as a business development hub have been highlighted as access to markets, customers and clients; availability of qualified staff and languages spoken and much more.

When looking for business development opportunities, whether from a high profile event such as the London 2012 Games with still over £1.5 billion worth of contracts available, or within certain key London sectors such as ICT, creative, environmental or financial, our clients tell us they set up business in London due to many reasons including those highlighted in these reports.

Our clients also highlight areas such as seeking efficiencies and innovation as key factors when considering globalization and London is top of their considerations for these areas.

The current economic climate has made business cautious and business expansion has not been top of the agenda for many companies, but those who have taken the leap and been able to grow tell us that when choosing a location for growth it must be a city that ticks all the boxes and will support the company and allow it to adapt.

In the last financial year foreign direct investment into Europe has contracted but London has bucked the trend, not only in terms of the traditional business and financial services sectors but also with a substantial rise in investment from the emerging markets, particularly China. These results not only show that businesses are still looking at growth, but also that London is the city that can support them and help them succeed.

It is an exciting couple of years for London with the 2012 Games around the corner and a wealth of business development opportunities for those looking at relocation in London. Our London consultants talk to hundreds of businesses and help one company every three days successfully set up business in London. If your company is interested in business expansion into London, contact us.

We have recently helped Adstream, Australian provider of digital advertising workflow services; Sentilla, a US-based IT energy management company and US altPOWER which develops, designs and installs renewable energy systems all set up business in London.

We are here to help and answer any questions you may have.

London retains number one position for best business city in Europe overall

The latest European Cities Monitor 2010 has ranked London for the 21st consecutive year as the number one European city for business development.

London is positioned as the number one city in six of the 12 major rankings including:

•access to markets, customers and clients
•availability of qualified staff
•quality of telecommunications
•languages spoken
•international transport links
•and internal transport links

London, Paris and Frankfurt remain the top three European locations sitting comfortably ahead of all other challengers. London jumped from fourth to second in the category of ‘best cities in terms of the climate governments create for businesses’ through tax policies and availability of financial incentives.

That is why we must push ahead ahead with investment in improving the capital's infrastructure. It is projects such as Crossrail, the Tube upgrades and the London 2012 Games that will secure a bright future for our city and strengthen its reputation as a Europe's business headquarters and the premiere destination for business development.

Setting us business in London in this decade will be driven by the need to find operational efficiencies. Many of the companies that our London consultants assist with are setting up business in London or expanding business in London here are increasingly looking to rationalise bases and consolidate activities. This trend has lately been confirmed by the Think London FDI Barometer survey.

The European Cities Monitor (ECM) is the annual location survey of Europe’s leading companies carried out by global real estate consultant Cushman & Wakefield.

Why tapping the green market makes perfect investment sense

Remember when the financial markets crashed in 2007 and many thought it would herald the beginning of the end for the green revolution. Surely the eco-agenda would slip dramatically down the list of corporate concerns in the wake of the wider crisis facing the global economy?
Fortunately, this couldn’t have been further from the truth.

The latest proof: Siemens is set to build a $47 million landmark sustainability centre in east London. The new centre will be a flagship for east London’s Green Enterprise District. Set to open in time for the 2012 Games, it will showcase new technology from around the world and new ways of living and working in a sustainable city like London.

The economic potential inherent in the ‘green market’ has been recognised as a massive business development opportunity for London. Already the London Stock Exchange is home to over 100 cleantech firms, all of whom recognise the business potential that exists in London’s environmental and renewable energy markets. This is partly why Think London was so pleased to hear about the launch of The Capital Markets Climate Initiative (CMCI) last month.

CMCI’s remit is to link City investors with international financiers and policy makers to unlock private sector investment and help propel London towards becoming a global hub for green business. With the worldwide market for environmental goods and services expected to grow by a massive 45% between 2005 and 2015, London can – and should - be at the centre of this upward global trajectory.

The Mayor of London is calling for London to become the Low Carbon Capital of the World. By 2025, London is aiming to reduce its emissions by 60%. This is three times more than the EU’s targets to reduce emissions by 20% below 1990 levels. The renewable energy sector will be key to this. At the moment the UK generates just 2.5% of its electricity from renewable energy, but in just five years we are aiming to generate 15% from renewables, and at least 20% in the longer term.
For companies operating in the environmental field, this offers fantastic new business potential.

At Think London our London consultants are in the best possible position to help companies take advantage of this commercial opportunity, whether that be for new companies considering setting up business in London or for those of you that are already here, looking at expanding business in London.

More from the Think London FDI Barometer

Good news - we have the results of the second Think London FDI Barometer.The barometric pressure is easing. 95% of overseas companies are satisfied with London as a location for their business; an increase of 5 percentage points since the first survey was undertaken in January.

The real pressure on businesses comes from elsewhere. Using a location to optimise operational efficiencies has increased in importance amongst our 280 survey respondents, particularly for those companies that have set up in London in the last two years. This is spot on with earlier research we have done on foreign direct investment in the post-recession era. It demonstrated that companies are predicted to focus on consolidation and optimisation as they reconfigure their global footprints to take advantage of lower operating costs. This is good news for businesses who play with the thought of setting up business in London or who are already expanding business in London. Just find a multi-sector, multi-cultural, well connected, top talent and innovative hub that pulls together all your key success drivers in a better way than London does.

The FDI Barometer has also shown that the importance of London’s availability of talent has risen sharply up the rankings, with almost a third of large companies ranking it as the most unique factor of differentiation when compared with other major international cities. It has long been a fact that London pools top talent from all over the world, offering the largest regional workforce in Europe and a labour pool of over nine million people. But now, more and more businesses realise how much London scores in this field. London’s resilience as a business location is now more certain than ever, with its reputation as a safe hub underlining the steady rise in confidence seen in Wave 2 of the Barometer.

This is a trend our London consultants at Think London expect to see continuing and very much looking forward to the findings of Wave 3, which we will complete towards the end of the year.

Celebrating continued Chinese investment into London at Shanghai Expo

We’ve just got back from Shanghai. Not only have we been able to meet with some amazing Chinese companies who are interested in setting up business in London, but we have also been able to experience the wonder that is a World Expo.

Shanghai really has pulled out all the stops to make the Expo in Shanghai a World wonder. From the China pavilion, named ‘The Crown of the East’ with its distinctive roof made of traditional dougong or brackets, which date back more than 2,000 years; the French Pavilion known as ‘The Sensual City’ which is clad in a trellis-like structure and features a garden inside with plants growing on the walls – it is designed to showcase the sights, smells, tastes, sounds and feel of France; the Danish Pavilion is a big loop on which visitors ride around on one of the 1,500 bikes available at the entrance, a chance to experience the Danish urban way; and of course the UK Pavilion called the ‘Seed Cathedral’ created by the UK’s leading creative talent Thomas Heatherwick and displaying 60,000 seeds from London’s famous Kew Gardens in slender optical strands.

Our London consultants met with businesses from a range of sectors who wanted to discuss the business development opportunities available in London and how they could go about expanding business in London.

From London commercial property, to London recruitment services to the 2012 Games we talked to companies about what London had to offer.

Our latest Annual results for 2009-10 showed that China is now the second largest investor into London adding real value to the London economy and creating new jobs for the capital.

5 Reasons why companies are continuing to invest in London:

1) Market and business development opportunity - fast-track access to some of the world’s largest markets, be they in London, the UK, Europe, the Middle East or Africa.
2) Open for business - The most welcoming and flexible commercial environment in Europe
3) Talent - Europe’s best city for breadth and depth of skills and access to London recruitment services
4) Connections - The best city in Europe for both physical and digital connectivity
5) Cosmopolitan lifestyle – a first-rate cultural and social environment in which to live and work, and then of course the excitement of the 2012 Games.

Over the coming months our London consultants will continue to work with the companies we met whilst in Shanghai to walk them through the process of expanding business in London and ensuring the new venture is a success for them and for London.

Two years to go London!

The 27th July 2010 is the day we all know - only 2 years to go until the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games.

The Capital has been busy celebrating another Olympic milestone - it is now only 2 years to go before London hosts the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games.

Here at Think London we've been reminded about just how many business development opportunities there are available to companies from across the globe considering setting up business in London.

The 2012 Games is clearly a huge opportunity in itself, but it is not just about games time. Our London consultants have been working with a multitude of companies already established in the Capital providing assistance with expanding business in London and how tapping into the legacy opportunities around the 2012 Games can help companies increase their London footprint.

We are really excited - for business, and for London, so contact Think London today to find out more about the business opportunities available abaove and beyond the 2012 Games.

Think London Connects your Business to London

Last week Think London held its second ‘Connect to London’ event, hosting a delegation of 55 senior business executives from more than 10 countries, including the US, Canada, China, India, Australia, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. This programme was arranged to follow up on the 2012 campaigns and events which Think London organised in 2009/10, including Route to 2012 (which visited more than 10 cities in North America), and was designed to highlight business opportunities in London for companies interested in capitalising on the 2012 Games and expanding business in London as part of their business development plans.

The programme, which was sponsored by Visa Europe, Lloyds TSB and Greenwich Council, was centered around a 2-day business summit with speakers from LOCOG, the Olympic Delivery Authority, the Olympic Park Legacy Company and a number of 2012 sponsors. It included interactive workshops on the Digital Games, the Sustainable Games and the Legacy, the three key aspects of the London 2012 Games. Delegates were able to introduce their business and engage in direct dialogues with the speakers and panelists, providing further opportunity to discover more about relocation in London.

The summit also included a networking reception at the end of the first day, where delegates had the opportunity to meet with London-based businesses, and a business dinner at the end of day two, held in the majestic and marvellous Painted Hall in Greenwich. A guided tour of the Olympic Park further showed the executives first-hand the scale and breadth of transformation taking place in East London.

As London business leaders swing back to growth with confidence, our international delegates saw that now is an excellent time for setting up business in London, Europe’s largest city economy and anchor destination for companies going global. Our London consultants are the experts on doing business in London and as such, Think London is best placed to help companies with their business development and relocation in London.

Think London takes to the US East Coast

This month Think London takes in the East Coast of America as part of its latest business roadshow

Think London’s recent trip to North America, headed up by Chief Executive Michael Charlton, took in the US East Coast, with stops in Atlanta, New York, Boston and Washington DC to address audiences and individual companies, particularly those in the sustainable and digital / creative industries, about the opportunities available in London in the lead up to and beyond the London 2012 Games.

What became most clear is that, despite the recession, London continues to be the destination of choice for North American businesses that are looking for opportunities for expansion or relocation in London. This has been backed by the recent Ernst & Young European Attractiveness Survey, which identified the US as the largest single investor into London. The UK capital has retained this prestigious ranking not only through an increase in foreign direct investment (FDI), but also thanks to its strength as a business and financial services centre.

Expanding overseas might not seem like the most appropriate action for businesses at this stage of the economic cycle, but London offers a huge number of unique market opportunities for US companies. Most importantly its business environment is ideal for helping firms maximise growth, contain costs and manage risk, which is why Think London works so closely with international investors to help them maximise their business development opportunities.

The first-ever ‘Digital Games’ will be quickly upon us and this bodes well for companies in the digital and creative sector, as there are 30 product streams that require digital media suppliers. This includes plans that will enable viewers to track results in “real-time” through clickable ‘geo maps’. The objective of the “Digital Games” is to create a democratic environment that takes advantage of interactive technology and social networking, so spectators and residents feel able to contribute, should they so wish.

There are three things that US digital and creative firms will find in London; critical mass, market leadership and tangible opportunities, and long term market momentum. London is a global centre of convergence for the technology and creative industries, with creativity accounting for £21 billion, or 16%, of London’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA), and at Think London we can provide access to our London consultants, who can offer specific market advice which help foreign firms establish and grow in the capital.

Not only will the 2012 Games be the first digital event, but it is also aiming to be the first ever sustainable games in history. The UK environmental technology industry is the world’s fifth largest and comprises of more than 17,000 companies and 400,000 workers. Furthermore, sustainability is at the heart of everything that London 2012 does, through the use of sustainable construction materials and transport to the restoration of waterways and habitats. London offers great opportunities for renewable energy companies, and at Think London we can utilise our extensive networks to support businesses in this sector.

Think London says Olé to Spanish companies

Following a trip to Andalusia, Marbella and Bilboa, there is plenty of enthusiasm from Spanish businesses about the 2012 Olympics and investment into London says Think London

As the London 2012 Games head our way, at Think London we are continuing to engage with key markets in Europe, such as Spain, to encourage further investment into London and open a new avenue for collaboration.

The fact that Think London can assist companies with their relocation in London, from finding the right commercial property to hiring the best staff members, means that we can help any international company thinking about either setting up business in London or expanding business in London.

This is why Think London headed out to Spain to host a series of seminars that presented businesses with opportunities and open investment channels in London ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.

At the Seville event, for example, we welcomed 40 Andalusian firms alongside the organiser Extenda. This fantastic turnout was echoed at subsequent events in Marbella and Bilboa, which shows the commitment that Spanish firms are demonstrating in considering future projects and investment opportunities in London.

What Think London wanted to demonstrate to Spanish businesses at each of the seminars, especially at a time when austerity measures are hitting many European countries, and it is so important for companies to minimise their exposure to risk, is that London is one of the best and most cost effective locations to do business and boost corporate efficiency. Not only is it a European hub for transport, but businesses can benefit from access to a concentration of specialist multiple business clusters and a top talent pool. Additionally, with the 2012 Games fast approaching and 2010 being a key year for procurement, there are 75,000 contracts available both directly and indirectly through subcontracting, so there has never been a better time to come to London.

We’ve already seen a number of Spanish companies investing and prospering in the capital, from Air Europa to Mapfre, Asamo and Genera Interactive, but it is also a fantastic environment in which small and medium sized companies can expand and grow. Britain is one of the best places in the world for innovation and entrepreneurship, with an environment that is friendly to nurturing new enterprises, and so it was brilliant to see how well the Spanish companies and the cities Think London visited are engaging with the idea of relocation and business development in London.

London’s future as a world city is looking bright!

Think London recently attended a discussion regarding London’s future as a world city and the challenges the city may face.

You may have noticed the recent recession, which apart from raising the cost of a trip to the supermarket, has had a major effect on business growth and has seen a large amount of development projects put on hold. Now as we come out of recession and the economy starts to recover, these developments have started up again which is extremely positive for those setting up business in London or expanding business in London.

Despite the recent economic problems, London remains the world financial services centre. The key has been London’s very diversified economy, making it resilient to the recent crisis and attracting new business to London as part of their future business development plans. In addition, the 2012 games continue to keep London in the spotlight, making relocation in London even more attractive to overseas businesses.

It was also felt by London consultants that the capital’s diverse population has been and continues to be a major asset against the economic crisis. This, coupled with the strong and large private sector, makes London’s future population growth sustainable and provides a skilled pool for London recruitment.

There was also a lot of talk about a new high speed railway network and the cross rail for 2017, all which keep London as the number one business capital in the world.

The future for London certainly looks promising and it seems there has never been a better time for setting up business in London.

London is named a top 50 global city as the BBC gets creative

As the Mercer Quality of Living Survey places London in the top 50 cities for quality of living (out of 221 cities around the world), the BBC announces a multimillion pound project to redevelop Television Centre as a “creative hub”.

Think London, the official foreign direct investment agency for London, has welcomed the BBC project as a continuation of London’s placement as a global creative hub. With the country counting down to the 2012 Games and the first digital Olympics, it is encouraging to see the extent to which the creative industries continue to grow. Certainly for companies looking at setting up business in London or those interested in expanding business in London. Think London consultants are ideally placed to help overseas organisations take advantage of the wealth of opportunity that can be found here.

The Quality of Living survey highlights that London has maintained its standing amongst global cities – it was ranked 39th in the 2008/9 survey. Not only does this serve to strengthen London’s position as a city beyond a financial centre, but also proves that this is a city that attracts companies wishing to establish or grow their business on an international scale.

For the creative industries, much of London’s appeal can be linked to the fact that it is a world capital with an advanced technological infrastructure, a close-knit community of creative agencies eager to exchange ideas, and a large tech-savvy consumer-base hungry for the latest products. With these tremendous market opportunities, it is unsurprising that London remains the key springboard for international expansion and business development.

Indian businesses still choosing London for business growth

Well Think London were privileged to host a fine dinner in the capital a couple of weeks ago to meet many successful businesses from India whom have already moved to London or are considering setting up business in London or expanding business in London.

The UK and London have an excellent relationship with India and Indian businesses, with a growing number of Indian businesses choosing relocation in London. Earlier in the year we were particularly pleased to be able to assist Indian software company Aspire Systems through our Touchdown London service using our London consultants.

We helped with their London recruitment needs and provided a competitive location for Aspire Systems so they could reach the European market, with 30%-40% of their projected revenue now coming from Europe as a result of expanding business in London.

There was much talk at the dinner about visa requirements and restrictions on entering the UK. There was a feeling from the businesses present that it would be a benefit if the visa application time were sped up to gain quicker access to markets.

It was also noted that Think London are able to help with issues such as visa’s and work permits, offering help and advice by putting clients in touch with the right bodies to submit applications. As a result, businesses reduce time wasted on research and can get their businesses under way as quickly as possible.

However, the general opinion was one of much satisfaction with business development in London, with many guests looking to grow their businesses further. It was an excellent dinner and we look forward to welcoming even more Indian businesses to the number one business capital in the world.

American Businesses Think London

Well it would seem that our American business neighbours are being lured across the pond by the business opportunities available in London.

Think London, the official foreign direct investment agency for London were pleased to see that a high number of North American businesses moved to London as part of their business development plans in 2009 / 2010.

Think London assisted over 70 North American companies with setting up business in London or expanding business in London in 2009/10 .In addition Think London’s dedicated Touchdown London service helped many of these companies with relocation in London, creating a further 190 jobs in their first year of setting up business in the capital.

Our Touchdown London consultants can help you with London recruitment in the capital, as well as identifying the perfect location for your business. We can also put you in touch with routes to market for your business.

Think London also announced a USA East Coast Tour on the 7th – 11th June which will give North American businesses even more opportunity to find out about setting up business in London and how Think London can help.

If you are thinking of setting up business in London why not contact us today to see how we can help you be a part of the World Capital of Business.

Things are looking up on the Think London Barometer

There is no doubt that as the sunshine begins to become more of a regular occurrence and the temperature improves, so has the general outlook and this was mirrored in Think London’s first “Foreign Direct Investment Barometer”.

This past month, Think London has been busy pouring over the results of their FDI Barometer – the most comprehensive survey of the views of overseas owned companies in London ever undertaken.

It was the clearest signal yet that London is beating the recession with 61% of those international businesses surveyed saying they are more confident about doing business in London compared with 12 months ago.

What was even more pleasing was the fact that 90% of overseas companies are happy with London as a location to do business. A key reason for businesses relocation in London was down to the capital’s proximity to markets and access to highly qualified staff.

With London yet again being crowned there has never been a better time to factor in your business development plans, setting up business in London or expanding business in London.

Our London consultants can help with a number of vital elements, from identifying a prime location to set up your business, accessing the deep talent pool, whilst getting the most out of London recruitment, the opportunities to work with expert private partners, to maximising the business opportunities available in London, such as the 2012 games.

Why not find out how Think London can help you, and be part of the world capital of business.

Property markets meet at MIPIM 2010

MIPIM lived up to its reputation this year as it certainly was another lively event for the annual property gathering in Cannes, France. There was a great deal of buzz at the London pavilion at MIPIM - it was thriving with the great and the good from the capital.

There was certainly a lot of discussion about the 2012 Games business opportunities, including particular focus on the role the 2012 Games will play for those companies looking at expanding business in London and investing in east London and beyond.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, announced that the Olympic Park Legacy Company is now up and running and tasked with developing the Olympic Park after the 2012 Games into a new vibrant metropolitan area of London.

We also saw some exciting presentations on the opportunities around the redevelopment of the Nine Elms and Battersea.

Our London consultants talked with others in length about the significant and varied business development opportunities in London including the regeneration plans for Croydon and west London, with the positive impact of Crossrail a main talking point. We spoke to many companies thinking of setting up business in London as part of their business development plans.

It was also a great time for London as we collected a cluster of awards for the city from FDI magazine. London was the overall winner in the category of European City of the Future as well as coming first in a range of sub categories. Moreover Think London was the runner-up of all European Cities for its FDI strategy.

There was also a new report launched by the City of London Corporation on the competitiveness of London’s commercial property. It highlighted the cost competitiveness of London and relocation in London compared to other financial centres. It also highlighted the strength of London’s supply and London recruitment options, particularly in financial services.

Overall there was a very upbeat mood at MIPIM, with the feeling that outlooks had turned positive compared to last year and a number of property schemes that had been on hold were now coming to fruition.

With London retaining position as the number one city for overseas investment there has never been a better time to invest in London.

March 2010: Cleantech forum in San Francisco

It was the 8th Cleantech Forum in San Francisco at the end of February and we are pleased to say Think London were in the thick of it, talking and listening to companies about their business development plans.


The summit brought together 1000 industry leaders who are bringing new finance for innovation to meet global demands and new business models. There was a very interesting array of companies presenting at the summit in order to secure further funding, including for international expansion and potential relocation in London. Over the last 9 years CEOs presenting at Cleantech Forums have secured over $1.5 billion in financing, so you can see its worth to these companies.


Our London consultants were pleased to be able to advise those who are looking at relocation in London or expanding business in London.

There was a great buzz and high level of optimism at the forum, including a note worthy recognition that China is exploding with cleantech R&D. Overall the breadth of invention is incredible and there is a clear feeling that the industry is now moving beyond start up and maturing into scalable, commercial and profitable business.


You may have heard of the new hydrogen taxi cabs that are going to be trialled in London which, if successful, will be in place in time for the 2012 Games. This is in keeping with Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s aim to make London more eco-friendly and a low carbon capital and is a good example of environmental innovation.

It was also nice to see some of our clients at the Cleantech Forum who we have assisted with setting up business in London, including some who have made use of our Touchdown London and London recruitment services and have now gone from strength to strength in the UK capital.

Recently London got even more coverage with regards to the Olympic Games and CleanTech - we even got a mention!

It was a very successful Cleantech Forum and we are looking forward to working with our partners to help our clients access the multitude of opportunities available in London for companies within this striving sector.

NASSCOM India Leadership Summit 2010

We have just come back from a rather successful trip to India to the NASSCOM India Leadership Summit 2010 in Mumbai. We are pleased to say we spoke to 200 different companies over 5 days, a number of whom are considering setting up business in London as part of their global business development plans.

We are very proud to say that we have been helping Indian companies looking at expanding business in London since 1994 and TASMAC, Intas Pharmaceuticals, SBI Capital Markets and Haldiram are just a few of our clients that our London consultants have helped.

The NASSCOM summit had sessions dedicated to leadership and vision and as we reported a week or so ago, London is still the number one destination for Indian investors who have that vision and determination to globalise.

Our Touchdown London service has helped many Indian investors take the first steps to setting up business in London, offering free desk space for the first 12 months, plus an on-hand Think London business development manager to guide companies through the process of business in London.

A particular focus we found during the trip was interest from Indian IT companies looking at relocation in London. For the first time in the last 12 months, companies were confidently talking about their expansion plans, timelines and job numbers. In addition those who already have a presence in London are looking at acquisition opportunities elsewhere in the world to add to their success in London.

We also found a keen interest in our London recruitment offering as part of our business development service to help any overseas company access the skills and talent they need for their London business.

Overall the NASSCOM Summit was extremely successful and we look forward to helping more companies move to the number one capital in the world with Think London.

Small to Medium Enterprises make up 70% of all investment in London in 2009!

So looking at the new statistics released by our team at Think London last week, small to medium size enterprises are accounting for 70% of all new business investment in the capital; either setting up business in London or expanding business in London in 2009.

The great news is that 35 of these businesses have been assisted by our Touchdown London service, which we are very proud of. It’s not a surprise the businesses have been attracted to the Touchdown London service – it enables overseas companies to take advantage of up to 12 months free office space and facilities, London recruitment and business development advice.

In addition to this our London consultants will act as dedicated advisors to support firms, alongside our commercial partners, through the process of establishing a presence in the UK’s capital.

In addition, those who we’ve helped with relocation in London who were surveyed said they were operational within 2 weeks, with estimated time saving of 2-3 months. Not bad at all I think you’ll agree!

Both the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson and Think London Chief Executive, Michael Charlton agreed that London provides a highly skilled workforce for employers, lower commercial property rates and the depreciation of Sterling means it’s the perfect time for SMEs to be moving to London.

However, don’t take they’re word for it, why not contact us today and see how we can help you and your business in 2010!

Digital Dinner

This week Think London organised a gathering of a number of top Businesses in London to talk to Stephen Timms MP, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for Digital Britain.

Around the table were sat members from Microsoft, Skype, Sony Pictures, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, MTV amongst other market leading companies in their sector.

We’re pleased to say a number of these are on our Think London client list as they turned to us when looking at setting up or expanding their business in London.

There were a number of issues that were discussed including illegal downloading of music and how to police it, taxes, mobile phone technology and access and the government goal of getting everyone in Britain onto to 2mb/sec broadband by 2017.

It was an extremely successful event with many issues raised but overall there was great feedback about London itself with Prime Focus saying that: “ We chose London when investing in the UK as London is the creative hub of Europe and a link to the US”.

As London continues to lead the way in creative and digital thinking, business relocation to London allows your business to gain the competitive edge and stay there.

London office market leading the recovery

So, we’ve all been credit crunched for over 2 years now – since 9th August 2007 to be exact but once again London is at the forefront of recovery.

According to RICS, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, demand for office space in London has increased with net balances for enquiries, demand and confidence turning positive since the onset of the credit crunch in 2007.

The London commercial office and property market appears to be leading the turnaround in tenant activity with retail and office demand moving at a faster pace than elsewhere.

Greater and central London office markets has seen tenant demand rise for the second consecutive quarter and at more than double the pace of the previous RICS survey period.

So what does this mean? Well it means that it’s a great time to be setting up business in London – as the economy starts to recover and entrepreneurs and established businesses grow in confidence, starting a business in London or expanding your business in London has never been more crucial.

In addition this increase in demand for office space means more businesses in London, more potential networking opportunities with new businesses and clients to be made and more reason to touchdown London.

The Mayor’s Speech – investing in the UK has never been better!

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, delivered his speech at the India Business Reception.

The Indian business community has continued to choose London for locating it’s businesses and looking at the financial year to date, 14 Indian companies were either setting up business in London or expanding business in London and it’s not hard to understand why.

London is the financial capital of the world and with London office space increasing (demands increasing too though so be quick!) it’s a great time to be investing in the UK. London has more Wi-Fi coverage than any other capital city, more bookstores than New York and more museums than Paris. As If that were not incentive enough to undergo business relocation to London, you can even purchase a Big Mac on the streets of London cheaper than anywhere else!

With less than 990 days until the 2012 Olympic Games now is the time to invest in London. Plus £9.3 billion is going to be used to drive change and revolutionise parts of London to bring everything up to date. The Olympics has driven change around London making it a greener, more environmentally friendly and safer place to set up business.

The Mayor finished a great night, highlighting the success of Cobra Beer who had great advances from its base in Fulham and Pataks Indian sauces from Kentish Town, just two of the many successful London business stories.

As if all of the above wasn’t enough, it rains more in Rome than in London according to the Mayor so surely that’s sold you?!