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The world’s largest alternative asset manager, Blackstone, is just a year into a massive build of its new European headquarters in London’s iconic Berkeley Square. The build broke ground in early 2024 and is aiming to underscore Blackstone’s long-term commitment to the UK via a showcase of sustainable design and a hopeful driver for economic growth in London’s West End.
Blackstone’s relationship with London stretches back twenty years, with the firm becoming one of the largest foreign investors in the UK, pouring more than $70 billion across one hundred-plus businesses and creating thirty-five thousand jobs in sectors ranging from affordable housing and tourism to financial services, life sciences, and logistics.
The company’s London office has seen rapid growth recently, with headcount more than doubling in the last three years and expected to exceed 650 employees. The new headquarters will be two-thirds larger than its current office.
The 2024 headquarters groundbreaking was attended by US Ambassador Jane Hartley and Blackstone Chairman and CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman.
“This is a great day for Blackstone,” Schwarzman said in a prepared statement. “We’re proud to be one of the largest foreign investors in the UK, and I am delighted to celebrate our next phase of growth after more than twenty years at Berkeley Square. Our expanded headquarters at the redeveloped Lansdowne House will be an important part of our story as we continue to build great companies across Europe.”
The new headquarters, expected to be completed in 2028, will occupy a 226,000 square-foot, 10-floor building at the southern end of Berkeley Square, replacing the historic Lansdowne House. The development is being led by commercial property developer CO-RE and Stirling Prize-winning architects AHMM.
The build will include fourteen thousand square feet of ground-floor retail space and redeveloped public areas as well as BREEAM Outstanding (the UK’s top sustainability rating, WELL Platinum (for health and well-being), NABERS 5 Star (for energy efficiency), and an EPC A rating. It will incorporate recycled steel from the original Lansdowne House, a biodiverse outdoor terrace, and renewable energy systems such as ground-source heat pumps and solar panels.
Bradley Baker, CEO of CO-RE, applauded the project’s massive scope. “Blackstone are providing a huge boost to the London and West End economy through their major investment in Mayfair,” Baker said in a statement. “At their new headquarters, they will enjoy a building that raises the standard of future office design and gives a new sense of place to the historic Berkeley Square.”
Blackstone’s impact on the UK includes notable stakes in companies like Bourne Leisure, Merlin Entertainments, Sage Homes, Autolus Therapeutics, and Mileway, Blackstone’s European logistics platform.
The build has been a major focus for Javier Castro, senior vice president of strategic sourcing, technology, and innovations at Blackstone. The SVP is tasked with directing and overseeing corporate strategic sourcing strategies and operations, coordinating supplies, equipment, construction, and indirect purchased services. The executive has more than two decades of experience in global procurement, supply chain management, and strategic sourcing.
Castro is a recognized leader in the procurement community, including speaking at events like the Americas Procurement Congress and ProcureCon Indirect East. In a recent panel discussion, Castro argued procurement’s value going far beyond cost savings, playing a critical role in business strategy and managing enterprise risk.
Additionally, the SVP has reflected on the importance of making procurement operations intuitive for both internal and external stakeholders, reducing friction, and clarifying processes to ensure seamless engagement across the organization.
Outside of his day-to-day operations, Castro is active in his community. The SVP has been a youth sports coach since his early twenties.
AHEAD is a global technology and services company that powers the most successful organizations in the world. Our consultative approach, technical expertise, and innovative solutions accelerate the impact of technology in every client we serve. AHEAD’s partnership with Javier and the Blackstone team exemplifies this commitment. Together, we are turning Blackstone’s vision for tech-driven operational excellence into a tangible reality. This collaboration represents a strategic alliance built on shared values of innovation and performance at scale.
Raindrop is proud to celebrate Javier Castro’s leadership in transforming procurement. A visionary executive, Javier has redefined Procurement through his leadership by leveraging AI, innovation, and digital transformation to drive organizational change and create lasting value. He has set new standards in Procurement, demonstrated by his ability to optimize supply chains, enhance supplier resilience, and lead high-performing teams sets him apart as a true industry leader. With over 20 years of experience, Javier has consistently delivered measurable business impact—enhancing efficiency, mitigating risk, and achieving multimillion-dollar cost savings. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! #ProcurementLeadership #RaindropProud
