Serviced office company celebrates its Great 8 of 2008!

Leading UK serviced office company Avanta has completed a busy year which has seen international expansion into India, the opening of eight new business centres in London and across the UK, and the strengthening of its senior management team.

Despite the challenging economic climate, Avanta has maintained its strategy of growth and expansion.  The company appointed Sean Morgan as Managing Director of Middle East and India, recruiting a dedicated team of over 20 people to implement the expansion drive which will continue in 2009.  The first business centre in India; Statesman House, New Delhi opened in September with two further centres in Mumbai due to open in late 2008.

In the UK, Avanta has continued to expand its portfolio of serviced offices.  New business centres have been opened in Manchester, Edinburgh, Harrow, Ealing and Heathrow Airport, further diversifying the company’s network of locations.

Avanta has also strengthened its stronghold of business centres in London, a key growth market from which the company has grown its business.  Avanta opened its first centre in London’s West End in 2004 and has since grown its presence in the capital, launching office suites in the West End, Midtown, City of London and Hammersmith

In the spring this year Avanta launched Grove House, Orange Street; five floors of serviced office suites in the heart of the West End.  Later in the year Avanta announced a deal with Rockpoint Europe to take 29,000 of prime office space over two floors on the Devonshire Square Estate opposite Liverpool Street Station in the City. 

One of 2008’s major highlights was expanding its presence at one of Mayfair’s most prestigious and sought after business locations.  Avanta signed a lease on the Grade II listed building 20 Hanover Square, located next to 18 Hanover Square, a building that the company already operates as managed business space.

At the heart of Avanta’s business philosophy has always been a commitment to offering maximum value and support to customers through highly ICS (Institute of Customer Service) trained centre teams and the latest innovations in technology.  With this in mind, the company announced a partnership with the United States’ leading provider of virtual office support applications, Davinci, to make their unique package of services available to UK businesses for the first time.   

In September Avanta sponsored the annual Sparks Race Day where over 200 people from the property industry descended on Kempton Park and helped raise £15,000 for the children’s charity.  Guests were joined by a host of stars from the world of sport, including England rugby legend and most capped English player in history, Jason Leonard and England winger, Dan Scarborough, snooker great John Virgo, TV racing experts Mike Cattermole and Nigel Seeley. The event, which follows last year’s highly successful inaugural race day, is rapidly becoming a popular fixture in the property social calendar.

Reflecting on another busy year, Avanta’s Chief Executive, David Alberto, said: “The two most important factors for occupiers when acquiring office space are capital expenditure and flexibility.  In the current economic climate occupiers do not want to commit to lengthy and costly leaseholds.  Serviced offices provide an attractive proposition, offering flexibility and transparency with pricing.”

He continued: “Our strategy is to target growth areas where we believe there is an appetite for flexible office space. London continues to prove fertile ground for our product, supplemented by key regional locations.  While these are challenging times for businesses, we are meeting the changing needs for workspace by delivering office solutions which deliver on cost and flexibility.  We have enjoyed a good year implementing consistent growth, and we approach 2009 with great confidence.”

In the UK or overseas, Avanta’s appeal to occupiers is being able to offer highly flexible, unbranded office space tailor made to meet the requirements of the individual business.  This flexibility is underpinned by competitively priced and transparent fixed-costs, so occupiers can account for every penny they are spending on their office needs. 

The formula attracts small and medium sized businesses to FTSE 250 companies alike.  The theory that a small business occupier and a major corporate want the same thing and are largely driven by location, quality and price, is central to Avanta’s business philosophy.