The joint venture partners behind the under-construction City of London office space tower known as the Walkie-Talkie have confirmed 117,336 square feet of new lettings at the site.
Developers Land Securities and the Canary Wharf Group form the joint venture, and two subsidiaries of the same Boston-based insurance giant have committed to occupying offices at the 20 Fenchurch Street tower.
Liberty Syndicates and Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe have signed up to take 66,321 sq ft and 51,015 square feet respectively at the Walkie-Talkie, which is scheduled for completion in a little over a year’s time.
The lettings are set to make it one of the most eye-catching office buildings in London, with more than 50 per cent pre-let. Liberty Syndicates plans to base its staff on floors 21-23, while Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe will be based across floors 10-12.
“We are delighted to be able to consolidate our London offices,” said Nick Metcalf, president and managing director of Liberty Syndicates. “20 Fenchurch Street is an iconic building and still enables us to be close to Lloyd’s and our brokers and clients.”
Lloyd’s of London is one of the world’s oldest and most important insurance markets, and it sits in the same City of London district as 20 Fenchurch Street, EC3.
Kaela Fenn-Smith, head of leasing at Land Securities, said on announcing Liberty’s commitment to the Walkie-Talkie: “We continue to see strong interest at 20 Fenchurch Street with over a year to go until completion. Occupiers continue to be drawn to the scheme, attracted by the modern and efficient office space in the right location.”
Editor’s Notes: Savills won the contract to manage the distinctive office building that was designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly.
The building was completed in the Spring of 2014, with its 3-floor ‘Sky Garden’ – London’s highest garden – opening the following January, and the tower was purchased by Hong Kong food company Lee Kum Kee Group in July 2017 from Land Securities Group.
By 2017, all of the office space at the property was let, with other leases signed by insurance companies, Markel, RSA Group, Ascot Underwriting, Tokio Marine Kiln, CNA Financial, Allied World, CGI Inc, and Harry Townsend Corp, as well as others from other sectors, for instance, legal services firm, DWF.
In 2023, part of the 15th floor became available for rent through a contracted sublease from an existing tenant. The available office space measured 7,739 square feet and was already fitted out to a high standard, with open-plan workstations and meeting room facilities.
As of October 2026, 20 Fenchurch Street was well occupied but offered a mix of landlord- and tenant-controlled office space available to lease, sublease, or occupy through other arrangements, including high-quality plug-and-play, fitted offices available on flexible licences.