Thames Valley: Jabra signs up to The Curve at Langley

Jabra, the global engineers of audio and video conferencing technology, have recommitted to The Curve at Langley, Berkshire.

The Danish-owned firm has taken 5,300 sq ft of office space at The Curve on Axis Business Park near Slough, in a deal brokered by property consultancy, Vail Williams LLP.

Having been based at The Curve for over five years, Jabra has committed to a new lease at the building from Threadneedle UK Property Authorised Investment Fund.

A team of business space experts from Vail Williams’ Surrey office negotiated the deal on Jabra’s behalf with the landlord’s agents, Hanover Green.

Elliot McNish, surveyor at Vail Williams who advised on the deal commented: “We have worked with Jabra for several years and are delighted to have helped them negotiate the terms of their new lease at The Curve, which will see them take a 10-year lease with a five-year break.”

Located at Langley, a stone’s throw from Heathrow airport, The Curve boasts strategically important transport links for Jabra, with access to junction 5 of the M4 motorway, direct train services to London Paddington, Slough and Reading, and the benefit of Crossrail.

Situated on the first floor of The Curve, the office, which recently underwent a complete re-fit, has just reopened to the firm’s 90, UK-based staff, providing modern facilities including a large board room, kitchen and meeting rooms designed for a post-pandemic world.

Nigel Dunn, managing director EMEA North at Jabra, said: “We are delighted to welcome our team back to our new-look office which will provide an invaluable space for our people to collaborate following a period of prolonged homeworking. At the core of our brand is our passion for making life sound better, and we are pleased to be living these values through the design of our new office, making the most of our own technology to enable our teams to safely ‘huddle up, without huddling in’.”

Jabra’s PanaCast technology is the world’s first 180° panoramic video conferencing solution and has been installed throughout the office, including a Panacast Huddle room, to enable teams to socially distance while in virtual meetings, connecting staff, teams and clients remotely, in a covid-secure way.

While the office caters for up to 30 staff, the firm’s existing flexible working arrangements mean that an average of 10 people will be on site at any one time, with 50% of Jabra’s team expected to make use of the office throughout the year.

“At Jabra work has always been about what you do, not where you go, and we’re proud to have operated outside the traditional nine to five for many years now. However, it is important that, when our teams do choose to come into our office, they are able to enjoy the benefits that being here will bring – from the design of the space and facilities on offer to the collaboration, innovation and mental health benefits,” concluded Naomi Bowbanks, office manager at Jabra.

The office re-opened on 12 April following completion of fitout works by FSL Group. Hanover Green advised Threadneedle UK Property Authorised Investment Fund.