Deloitte moves Canberra office into new space (with airport view)

Professional services firm Deloitte has relocated its Canberra office from 6 Brindabella Circuit to a larger new space directly next door – the latest in a recent series of moves among the country’s top consultancies.

Australia’s largest accounting and consulting networks are currently engaged in a whirl of office relocations and upgrades, with Deloitte’s shift to a new Canberra base the latest – albeit by about only 200 meters next door. While still conveniently located in the Brindabella Business Park next to the airport – at least for the firm’s jetsetting consultants – the views aren’t quite as spectacular as those of Deloitte’s new Sydney office, which launched just last month.

In fact, the Canberra office relocation is the firm’s third in quick succession, with more moves still to come.

In addition to its state-of-the-art new digs in Circular Quay overlooking the Sydney Opera House and harbour, Deloitte toward the end of last year moved its Western Sydney headquarters to 8 Parramatta Square. The firm has also signed major new leases in developments in Brisbane and Adelaide, the latter which should be ready by the end of next year.

The motivation for the flurry of moves is two-fold. The massive growth in Australia’s consulting industry in recent years has meant that the country’s major players have simply run out of space – as was the case with Deloitte in Canberra. Secondly, the same firms are now having to negotiate a post-pandemic business world, and face an increasingly tough battle to attract and retain talent amid chronic skills shortages and greater demands for remote working.

On recently signing its own new lease in the CBD – after also setting up in Parramatta last year – BDO’s Sydney office managing partner Grant Saxon described the trend toward higher-quality, tech-driven spaces as the firm “earning the commute” of its staff while also making a statement to both clients and prospective employees. KPMG was another to recently relocate in Western Sydney, the firm seemingly going toe-to-toe with Deloitte on the upgrade front.

The latter’s new Canberra office – which is led by Phillip Roberts, who was recently promoted to national clients leader – has been described as having a stunning design, great energy, and delightful technology. “While the distance was less than 500 metres, it couldn’t be a bigger change to our way of working,” commented ACT cyber leader Prescott Pym. “Lots of ways to adapt to the flow of your day, connect informally with colleagues, or find a quiet nook to take a call.”