Sportswear brand Puma has announced it will move its UK headquarters from London to Manchester after signing for 20,000 sq ft of workspace at Bruntwood SciTech’s Circle Square, the city’s leading destination for technology, digital innovation and creative businesses.

Puma already has a small presence in Manchester but the move to No, 3 Circle Square will bring together its sales, marketing, merchandising, finance, people & operations and direct to consumer departments all under one roof  on Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor which is also known as the city’s knowledge quarter.

No.3 Circle Square forms the latest phase of the neighbourhood’s masterplan and offers 267,000 square feet and 15 floors of new workspace focused on innovation businesses. The building is finalising construction and will open this summer.

Puma said its new base will enable it to work side-by-side with existing forward-thinking and disruptive businesses and institutions already located at the Circle Square campus and in the wider knowledge quarter.

It also puts the brand on the doorstep of the city’s academic institutions, with access to top STEM and creative talent.

The relocation follows the recent announcement of Puma’s first-ever European flagship store which will open on London’s Oxford Street this autumn.

Lucynda Davies, UK managing director  of Puma, said:The move to Circle Square and state-of-the-art facilities on offer forms a key part of our strategy for providing Puma’s employees with a first class working environment with top facilities and amenities. All whilst being at the centre of a community which offers leading technology, fashion, AI and innovation.

“Being surrounded by such a strong line up of industry was an important factor, and to find somewhere in the heart of Manchester’s thriving tech community is exactly what we hoped for.

“Being based at Circle Square will also open up a host of opportunities to tap into the city’s creative talent pool and strengthen our existing links with academic partners like Manchester Metropolitan University – of which we get the added benefit of Bruntwood SciTech being a partner.”