£15 Million Technology Hub Opens in Leeds

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• £15 Million Technology Hub Opens in Leeds

22 October 2021

A new landmark development at 4 Wellington Place brings 1,700 employees under one roof in what is one of the largest technology hubs in Leeds.

Flutter Entertainment’s new £15m UK technology and innovation hub in Leeds will act as a centre of innovation in key areas such as product development, software engineering, and research and insight.

The site will be home to Sky Betting and Gaming’s (SBG) "Skills Academy", which provides early-career opportunities, and a self-funded Kickstart scheme for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Picture: a photograph of a breakout area featuring stadium seating

4 Wellington Place

Designed by MEPC, the workspace is home to 1,700 colleagues and comprises 136,000 sq. ft of flexible space across eight floors at 4 Wellington Place in Leeds Dock.

It has been built to the highest environmental standard, achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating on completion and includes a range of accessibility and sustainable features, meeting the WELL building standard, which aims to make the work environment healthier for colleagues.

The hub will act as a centre of excellence in technology and innovation for Flutter brands operating in the UK and Ireland, helping to drive innovation across the Group through the development of industry- leading digital products for consumers across the world, while providing highly-skilled jobs and a sizeable local investment in Leeds and the surrounding Yorkshire region.

The new site will be home to more than 800 technology professionals working in key functions such as its Global Sports Trading Platform, Digital Infrastructure, Platform Services, and Information Security. It will also include several unique attributes, including:

• Seventh and eighth floors dedicated solely for social activities between teams.
• IT vending machines for certain equipment to free up resources and time for IT colleagues.
• £1m investment in VC and AV equipment to promote inclusive meetings between those working remotely and in the office.
• Six electric car charging points in the basement.
• And break-out furniture items all made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles.

The hub will continue to promote SBG’s "Skills Academy", which offers selected graduates a fully-funded MSc in Digital and Technology Solutions from Sheffield Hallam University while they gain in-house experience working with technology teams across the business. To better represent the communities it operates in, SBG has also launched a self-funded version of the government’s Kickstart scheme, creating 13 new roles for young people at risk of long-term unemployment. These are spread across business areas and functions including marketing, finance, people, tech and design.

Conor Grant, CEO of Flutter Entertainment UK and Ireland commented: “Our new office in Leeds is our vision for the future of working and we are excited to welcome our colleagues to this modern, agile and flexible workspace. The entire Flutter Group has benefited greatly from the leading technology capabilities we have developed in Leeds through our talented and highly skilled workforce, and this investment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to both the city and our colleagues. We will also continue to be a positive force in the communities we serve, with our Skills Academy and Kickstart scheme offering exciting opportunities for young people to develop their skills.”

Picture: a photograph of the exterior of the office

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 22 October 2021

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