BCO Research Seminar: Big Bang at 40: The vital role of offices in supporting economic progress

Forty years ago – on 27 October 1986 – the London Stock Exchange was deregulated. The move, known as the Big Bang, changed the nature of offices forever. Deregulation moved trading from the physical floor, where traders shouted orders to each other face to face, to screen-based trading with rows and rows of desks packed with monitors and phones. This was the birth of the open-plan trading floor and large floorplates in London.

The Big Bang didn’t just deregulate finance in the capital, it was the moment that catalysed the modern open-plan, large-floorplate corporate office.

With the office now at an important inflection point, with the prevailing design agenda of the past four decades preparing for radical change, the BCO has gathered some of the biggest names in real estate to share their experiences of Big Bang, how that has shaped not just the way we work, but where and how we work, and to help us answer the question on everybody’s lips – what is the future of the office?

Join us on from 08:30am on 20 October at JLL’s new flagship UK office at 1 Broadgate for a morning of debate and discussion.

08:30 – 09:00 – Registration & networking

09:00 – 09:15 – Presentation – Rob Harris, Ramdius

09:15 – 10:15 – Panel debate

10:15 – 11:00 – Moderated discussions

Delegates are asked to break out into small groups to discuss the future direction of office, design, delivery, occupation and management and the role of real estate in enabling change.

Tables will be led by various experts from across the sector with feedback and thoughts captured by moderators and utilised as part of a report based on the findings of the event, available to all BCO members and event attendees.

Our expert panel:
Sir Stuart Lipton – partner, Lipton Rogers Development
Despina Katsikakis – executive partner & global chair of strategic consulting, Cushman & Wakefield
Michael Cassidy CBE – chairperson, NLA
Peter Rees – professor, UCL (formerly city planning officer for City of London)
Geoffrey Pentecost – director, lease advisory, JLL

Moderated by Samantha McClary chief executive, BCO