Private bankers undergo refit of Exeter office
Private Bankers Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Limited, the private banking and wealth management arm of the Arbuthnot Banking Group, with offices in London, Manchester and Dubai has expanded in to a new South West Office at The Senate. The company which provides wealth planning and investment management services to around 500 high-net worth individuals and families across the region, joins other high quality occupiers, such as Thomson Reuters, Trowers & Hamlins and Ford Simey. The major refurbishment programme was carried out by Exeter-based contractor, MD Business Interiors.
Ian Scott - Head of Wealth Planning – Arbuthnot Latham said: “After 20 years based in Southernhay, our lease was up for renewal and we had outgrown the premises, so it was a commercial decision to find a new South West Head Office. The Senate is conveniently located near the city-centre in the prestigious financial district, which matches our company ethos and quality of brand; and we are very pleased to be have other high-end professional service organisations as our neighbours. The relocation also gave us the opportunity for our dynamic team of 20 to be able to expand as part of our mid-term strategy to double in size over the next five years across the region. Ian adds: “We have used the services of MD Business Interiors before, and Mark Dowse and his team were able to work from a blank canvas to refurbish our new office space. We are delighted with the final result.”
Exeter-based MD Business Interiors worked closely with the client from conception to completion of the fit-out. The 6,200 sq. ft. of office space is based on the ground floor of the landmark building, located near the Crown Court. The contractor carried out a number of services, including rewiring the building; installing new power points, Cat 5 cabling and computer network points, a server and data room with air-conditioning and a network for the new telephone system.In addition the local firm installed a kitchen and staff room; designed a spacious and contemporary reception area and high-quality board room and meeting rooms. Folding doors help to create a versatile space for functions and corporate client entertainment, complemented with glazed partitions throughout the office suite, offering privacy and confidentiality for the Bank’s private clients.
As part of the ambitious expansion programme, MD Business Interiors’ brief was to get the balance right between free-flowing and private sections, with secure areas and effective use of space to allow future-proof for expansion. In addition the client wished to embed some of the modern design features of Arbuthnot Latham’s London office, in order to keep the overarching corporate theme, as well as retaining the traditional logo and brand. Working closely with the client, the team created a bespoke solution incorporating the corporate brand and colours within the opulent design. This included the Arbuthnot Latham’s iconic peacock logo within window graphics and the handmade bespoke wallpaper designed in London.
Mark Dowse – Managing Director – MD Business Interiors comments: “We are a local company providing office furniture and complete commercial fit-out services to create professional environments for businesses across the county of Devon and beyond. Having supplied all the furniture for Arbuthnot Latham’s Southernhay Offices five years’ ago, we gained an understanding of the client’s needs, style and brand. Arbuthnot Latham is a well-respected private banking firm with traditional values, coupled with modern-day thinking, so we were able to utilise a mix of the old furniture from the previous office with new. Following the client’s brief we incorporated some contemporary twists, and the corporate colours were interlaced into the design throughout.” Mark comments further: “This project has been designed specifically to allow for future projected growth, with design and space planning a key to success.”
Chris Reah – Director, Private Banking – Arbuthnot Latham, South West Region, concludes: “We are not a high street bank, we are private bankers looking after discerning high-net worth clients in the South West, who like to deal with people with local knowledge and experience, who fully understand their needs. It is important for us as a well-respected firm, to reinvest into the local economy by supporting local businesses. Having worked with Mark Dowse and his proficient team before, it was a natural choice to engage the company’s services to undertake the complete refurbishment of our new South West Head Office. This is an exciting era for Arbuthnot Latham and we are delighted with the look and feel of the new premises, which perfectly showcase our brand and style. It also gives us scope for future expansion.”
