Where do investment banking occupiers lease office space in London?

Most cluster in City of London. Rent runs ~95 GBP/sqft ($121 USD) for trophy and prime stock.

What fit-out spec do investment banking occupiers run in London?

Typically trophy at $320–480/sqft.

How much office space per seat should a investment banking occupier plan in London?

Plan ~215 sqft per seat blended. A 100-person team typically takes 21,500 sqft.

What NAICS codes describe the investment banking vertical?

Representative NAICS 2022 codes: 523150, 522110.

What is the talent index in London?

96/100. Use the city profile for full detail.

Investment banking occupiers in London typically cluster in City of London, plan ~215 sqft per seat at trophy fit-out ($320–480/sqft), and pay around 95 GBP/sqft ($121 USD) on Class A.

Preferred submarket: City of London.
Typical fit-out spec: Trophy ($320–480/sqft).
Plan ~215 sqft per seat for headcount sizing.
Class A rent context: 95 GBP/sqft ($121 USD).
Typical lease: 10 years with 24 months rent-free.
Talent depth in London: 96/100.

Investment banking office space in London

Investment banking occupiers in London typically cluster in City of London, plan ~215 sqft per seat at trophy fit-out">fit-out ($320–480/sqft), and pay around 95 GBP/sqft ($121 USD) on Class A.

TL;DR

Preferred submarket: City of London.
Typical fit-out spec: Trophy ($320–480/sqft).
Plan ~215 sqft per seat for headcount sizing.
Class A rent context: 95 GBP/sqft ($121 USD).
Typical lease: 10 years with 24 months rent-free.
Talent depth in London: 96/100.

Where they cluster

Investment banking occupiers in London typically anchor in City of London. Investment banks, insurance, asset managers, law firms, professional services.

What they pay

Class A rent in London runs 95 GBP/sqft ($121 USD) on a 10-year lease with 24 months free. Trophy submarkets command a 20–40% premium above the city index.

Spec and fit-out

Typical investment banking fit-out targets trophy specification at $320–480/sqft. Bespoke design, signature feature, top-tier MEP and acoustic packages are standard.

Headcount sizing

Plan around 215 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount banking office in London typically targets 21,500 sqft of leasable area.

Talent angle

Bulge-bracket teams favor signature trophy assets with full client-facing programming and large floor plates. Largest financial-services and technology talent pool in EMEA. Average all-in compensation indexes 96 vs. New York's 100.

Tax and lease context

Headline corporate tax: 25%. London leases are predominantly Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI). Tenant pays service charge and is responsible for dilapidations on lease end. Rent reviews to open-market rent every 5 years are standard. Rent-free periods of 18-30 months on a 10-year term are typical, with 'capped' rent-free for break-clause certainty. Personal guarantees are uncommon for institutional tenants; rent deposits are common for younger covenants.

Key facts

city	London
industry	Investment banking
naics	523150, 522110
preferredSubmarket	City of London
preferredFitoutSpec	Trophy
fitoutBand	$320–480/sqft
sqftPerSeat	215
classARentLocal	95 GBP/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$121/sqft/yr
vacancyPct	8.6%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	24
talentIndex	96
corporateTaxPct	25%

Frequently asked questions

Where do investment banking occupiers lease office space in London?: Most cluster in City of London. Rent runs ~95 GBP/sqft ($121 USD) for trophy and prime stock.
What fit-out spec do investment banking occupiers run in London?: Typically trophy at $320–480/sqft.
How much office space per seat should a investment banking occupier plan in London?: Plan ~215 sqft per seat blended. A 100-person team typically takes 21,500 sqft.
What NAICS codes describe the investment banking vertical?: Representative NAICS 2022 codes: 523150, 522110.
What is the talent index in London?: 96/100. Use the city profile for full detail.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

Full sources index · Submit a correction