First Minister John Swinney MSP officially opened HEINEKEN’s new UK headquarters in Edinburgh city centre at 6 St Andrew Square. The move reaffirms the company’s commitment to Scotland and Edinburgh, after 25 years in their former HQ in the South Gyle area of the city. The company has a rich and proud heritage in Scotland dating back to 1749.
HEINEKEN UK has invested more than £2m in the building to create a modern, flexible working environment, reflecting evolved ways of working and HEINEKEN UK’s strong focus on sustainability. The new headquarters – which is the company’s largest office site in the UK – will house the majority of HEINEKEN UK’s 500 Scotland based colleagues, who work across a range of departments including Customer Care, Supply Chain, IT, Finance, HR teams and Star Pubs, the company’s pub business.
The headquarters’ opening followed HEINEKEN UK’s £4.5 million announcement in Scottish pubs. Focussed across their 230-strong Star Pubs estate which are spread across the country, this further reinforces Scotland’s strategic importance to the organisation.
The First Minister’s visit was hosted by HEINEKEN UK’s Managing Director, Boudewijn Haarsma, with Mr Swinney meeting colleagues and making time to pour the first pint of Heineken 0.0 at the new bar.
The new office features a range of amenities including wellbeing facilities, an on-site bar, rooftop terraces, and a café.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Heineken has longstanding ties with the City of Edinburgh stretching back many years, and I am pleased that this is set to continue.
“The opening of this state of the art, sustainable office space is an indication of Heineken’s belief that Scotland continues to be an excellent location for businesses.
“I know that this new location will be a success, both for Heineken, the City of Edinburgh and Scotland as a whole.”
Boudewijn Haarsma, Managing Director, HEINEKEN UK, said: “We are very pleased and proud to have the First Minister with us today as we reassert our company’s long-standing association with Edinburgh and Scotland, through the opening of our fantastic new UK headquarters here in the capital. This city-centre location will help us attract and retain the talent that will enable our business to go from strength to strength. Our significant investment into the office with our long-term lease, coupled with our £4.5m investment in our Scottish pub estate announced this week, is a clear statement of our intent, reiterating the vital importance of Scotland to our business.
“Moving our Scottish base to this beautiful square at the heart of Edinburgh is especially significant as it marks a return to the square that Scottish & Newcastle also made its home. It’s a place to which Heineken owes much of its presence today in the UK.”
ENDS
About HEINEKEN UK:
Headquartered in Edinburgh, HEINEKEN is the UK’s leading pub, cider and beer business. The company owns around 2,400 pubs as part of its Star Pubs & Bars business and employs around 2,100 people. We are passionate about our cider and beer brands and the outstanding service that we offer to our customers. Our unrivalled portfolio of brands includes Heineken® 0.0, Heineken®, Foster’s, Strongbow, Cruzcampo, John Smith’s, Inch’s Cider, Amstel, Birra Moretti and Old Mout, backed by a full range of niche and specialty brands. HEINEKEN also owns Beavertown and Brixton Brewery.
Image: (l-r): Boudewijn Haarsma, Managing Director of HEINEKEN UK; James Crampton, Corporate Affairs Director, HEINEKEN UK; John Swinney, First Minister of Scotland, with the plaque commemorating the first pint of beer pulled at HEINEKEN UK’s new HQ in central Edinburgh.
For more information, please contact:
Joanna.dring@heineken.co.uk / 07788369161
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