Barclays Bank moves 300 jobs to regional headquarters in Birmingham

Barclays Bank has moved more than 300 extra staff to its Midlands corporate banking headquarters in Birmingham, it was revealed yesterday (3 May).

The new staff include a range of specialist legal roles, support managers advising companies on issues such as cyber security, and a dedicated Trade Direct team of bankers.

The influx from across the UK has taken the total number of Barclays’ staff at the landmark Snow Hill offices from just shy of 1,000 to around 1,300, making it the bank’s largest centre outside of London.

Ray O’Donoghue, managing director of Barclays corporate banking in the Midlands region, said:

The last few months has seen the constant expansion of our Snow Hill headquarters, reconfiguring floors, sharing desks and creating dynamic work spaces to fit more than 300 extra staff into our offices.

We’re having to bring in the extra staff to cope with the strong banking demands as the Midlands continues to play an important part in the national picture.

Mr O’Donoghue said the new jobs at Barclays’ Snow Hill reflected the recent success the Midlands region was enjoying – including investments linked to Coventry’s City of Culture 2021 status and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.

And he highlighted the launch of Barclays’ £370m Midlands Growth Fund as another way the bank was seeking to boost jobs and economic development in the region.

Barclays now occupies four complete floors at the Snow Hill offices in Birmingham, with extra space in its Latitude Club meeting venue on the lower ground floor.

And the bank expects to be making yet more space for extra staff who are likely to relocate to the city during the rest of 2018.

Mr O’Donoghue added:

The expansion of our Snow Hill offices is set to continue and reflects Barclays’ confidence in the capabilities of the region and the role it has to play on contributing to the wider economic success of the UK.

Birmingham is still the number one entrepreneurial city outside London, and its central location makes it a great place to do business – something the HS2 high-speed train link will make even better.

The wider Midlands region drives 25% of the UK’s manufacturing capacity and 20% of the nation’s exports – with Jaguar Land Rover and its suppliers being great examples of that success.”

Neil Rami, chief executive of the West Midlands Growth Company, said:

The organic growth of Barclays’ corporate banking team is highly encouraging and builds on the bank’s success in this region.

The West Midlands has become one of the UK’s leading financial services hubs, with major firms such as Barclays locating or expanding here to capitalise on the region’s talented workforce, connectivity and welcoming business environment.”