Convergys, a global leader in customer management services, has been confirmed as the single tenant of The Rocket in Newcastle’s Stephenson Quarter.
The Rocket will be home to Convergys’ new state-of-the-art contact centre, which is set to create 600 new jobs within this prime city centre location.
Newcastle City Council and developers the Clouston Group formed a public/private partnership to deliver their ambitious plans for the £200m development, with Phase 1 including the Crowne Plaza Hotel which opened last summer, the Stephenson Quarter Car Park and 35,000 sq ft of Grade A office space at The Rocket.
Expansion plans announced by Convergys reaffirm the company’s commitment to the North East, with a significant footprint already on Tyneside employing 700 people at their Quorum Business Park base in Longbenton.
Newcastle fought off stiff competition from other cities across the UK to secure this significant investment in the city, including a package of support provided by Invest Newcastle, a dedicated inward investment team at NewcastleGateshead Initiative.
Cllr Nick Forbes, Leader of Newcastle City Council said: “This announcement is a major step in realising our vision to secure economic prosperity and employment opportunities for Newcastle, and testament to the wealth of talent in the North East.
Internal fit-out at The Rocket is now underway, and it is envisaged the facility will be operational by late summer.
Phil Telfer, UK Lead at Convergys, said: “This investment not only demonstrates our ambition to grow in the UK, but also our commitment to the city of Newcastle, where we have been an employer for almost 25 years.
“Choosing to expand in the Newcastle area was an easy decision – a big part of our local success is testament to the talented people we already have working here, and the strong reputation the team has for delivering great customer experiences on behalf of several leading global brands.
“We wanted to choose a building within a prestigious location that was impactful, and that set out a clear statement of our UK ambition. With The Rocket, we believe we have achieved this.”
The Stephenson Quarter is a prime example of the public and private sectors working together and represents a successful professional and funding partnership between the developer Clouston Group, Newcastle City Council, Aviva Investors, Royal Bank of Scotland, Miller Construction, and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.
Michelle Percy, Director at Clouston Group, said: “Convergys is a blue chip company moving onto a flagship site in Newcastle. This is a real coup for the city and all our partners who have worked tirelessly to make Newcastle an international destination and a great place for business.
“For Clouston Group, the investment decisions by international occupiers like Crowne Plaza and now Convergys, validate our vision to make Stephenson Quarter a unique and highly attractive location for business, leisure, retail and housing. We must now focus on Phase 2 of the development, to continue to attract an international calibre of investors to this ambitious city.”
Convergys is now actively recruiting for a number of roles across their operational and support functions, including customer service, HR, IT, quality, training and management roles. For more information, contact recruitment.newcastle@convergys.com
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