Marshall Wace is a hedge fund that manages more than $30bn from fund management offices in London, New York and Hong Kong. Marshall Wace manages a number of fundamental long short equity funds, as well as running its own proprietary algorithmic trading systems. The firm employs around 150 people in its London office.

Marshall Wace engaged UnWork to develop a workplace strategy for the firm’s relocation from their Embankment offices to new premises on Sloane Street. It was essential that this workplace strategy took into account the firm’s ethos and culture – as well as retaining and building on the aspects of the existing workplace that were deemed to work well.

At the onset of the project, UnWork set about understanding Marshall Wace as an organisation by interviewing the firm’s leadership on the vision and aspirations for the new space. Key success factors – including speed of decision making, discouraging group think and attracting the best talent – were quickly identified.

Co-creation workshops between Marshall Wace and UnWork highlighted key features that the new office should incorporate. The space needed to be homely, with excellent food and beverage provisions and a range of wellness and amenities space. Occupancy and workstyle data were then layered on to our analysis to develop a number of workplace scenarios for how Marshall Wace could work in the future.

Once the required spaces had been defined, UnWork developed a detailed space forecast that recommended how Marshall Wace should occupy and arrange the Sloane Street office. UnWork then worked closely with the appointed architect to ensure that the client’s vision for the space was retained throughout the project.

The Sloane Street office, which Marshall Wace occupied in 2016, embodies the aspirations of the firm’s leadership. Built around the concept of the office as Marshall Wace’s ‘home’, the space brings together a highly functional workplace with the best elements of high-end residential and hospitality spaces. It features excellent food and recreation spaces, as well as a gym for employees.