AFTER nearly 30 years as a tenant in the AMP Building, AMP Financial Services has relocated the remainder of its staff to its West Perth office.
AFTER nearly 30 years as a tenant in the AMP Building, AMP Financial Services has relocated the remainder of its staff to its West Perth office.
State manager Michael Jones said excess space in the building, parking issues and a need to consolidate staff under the one roof were behind the decision to move to West Perth.
The AMP move is one more in a string of departures from the AMP building including Freehills’ shift to the QV1 building and Computer Sciences Corporation’s move to Subiaco later this year.
Mr Jones said with the grand plan to refurbish the AMP building due to commence it was an appropriate time to move the remaining 20 people in the building to West Perth.
“People were scattered over two floors in the AMP Building,” he said.
“There is a strong focus to have all our people under one roof … and leverage off the synergies which exist between the different business units within the company.”
An original tenant since the building was built in 1975, the financial services company had used the AMP building as its head office and, at one stage, had occupied six floors, employing more than 100 people.
Mr Jones said staff numbers had been eroded over the years due to the centralisation to the company’s east coast headquarters of services such as public relations, register management and customer services.
“Twenty staff do what 100 used to. We have shrunk to quality as we like to say,” he said.
The financial banking arm of the company moved into the new
West Perth location last year.
Joining them were staff from the advisers service division, corporate superannuation and Hillross financial planning.
WA Business News understands that despite no longer having a presence in the building, AMP Financial Services will retain the signage rights.
Mr Jones said parking was a huge factor in choosing to move to West Perth.
Many clients, particularly elderly people, find it difficult and confusing to come into the city, he said.
“West Perth is cheaper and the facilities are just as good as the CBD and it is easier to get to,” Mr Jones said.
With the growth of business in areas such as West Perth and Subiaco and the CAT bus service providing easy access to the city, Mr Jones said the perception that big business had to be in the CBD was no longer the case.
“It is the first time I have worked out of the CBD in 15 years and I am not missing it as much as I thought I would,” he said.