Sony Music UK: Relocating Creativity Without Missing a Beat

Executive summary

Universal has been the relocation partner to Sony Music UK for almost 20 years, supporting headquarters relocations, workplace transformation projects and ongoing move management services. One of the most significant projects in that partnership was the 2022 relocation of Sony Music's UK headquarters from 9 Derry Street, Kensington to its new home in King's Cross, a move that placed Sony at the centre of London's creative and technology community and gave its artists, employees and partners a new workplace built around them.

The challenge

Relocating the UK headquarters of a global music company demanded absolute precision. The project involved moving approximately 600 employees across multiple labels, departments and business functions, while keeping the business running throughout.

Sony's former headquarters occupied a Grade II* listed Art Deco building in Kensington, home to executive spaces, archives, specialist technology, valuable artwork, industry awards and memorabilia collected over many years. The move required careful stewardship of both the historic building being vacated and the newly completed headquarters being occupied. Both sites sat within busy mixed-use environments, where access, logistics and security needed meticulous planning and coordination with every stakeholder.

How Universal delivered

Project leadership. Universal planned and delivered a phased relocation programme of eleven phases over three months. Every phase was governed by detailed surveys, risk assessments, method statements and stakeholder engagement, giving full visibility and control from start to finish. Our team worked closely with Sony's facilities leadership, anticipating problems before they arose.

White-glove handling for high-value assets. Sony needed a partner able to handle some of the music industry's most valuable memorabilia with exceptional care and discretion. Universal provided a bespoke white-glove service for industry awards and gold discs, high-value artwork and collectibles, specialist recording equipment, executive office contents and sensitive archive materials. Every item received export wrapping, specialist protection and secure transport.

Technology relocation. With business continuity paramount, Universal's specialist IT engineers managed the move of Sony's technology estate, covering IT auditing and asset tracking, decommissioning and recommissioning of workstations, secure movement of monitors, peripherals and docking stations, server and rack relocation, anti-static protection and installation support in the new headquarters.

Supporting people through the move. From executive leadership to creative teams, every employee's move was supported by carefully planned move management, with proactive communication and attention to detail, so Sony's teams could carry on with business as usual while we managed the complexity behind the scenes.

Sustainability. Universal ran a responsible clearance and redistribution strategy, diverting surplus furniture, equipment and merchandise from landfill wherever possible. Through our charitable networks, assets that could have a second life were redistributed to benefit wider communities, supporting Sony's environmental objectives.

The outcome

The relocation was completed across all eleven phases, and Sony Music UK moved into its King's Cross headquarters with minimal disruption. Universal relocated approximately 600 employees, multiple record label and departmental functions, executive offices, archives and specialist collections, complex AV installations, server infrastructure and communications systems, and meeting room environments and furniture systems.

Most importantly, the project strengthened a partnership that has now lasted almost two decades, which began with our earlier move for Sony Music into Derry Street.

Why Universal

Complex corporate relocations need more than manpower and vehicles. They need strategic planning, specialist expertise, clear communication and a commitment to the people being moved. The relocation of Sony Music UK's headquarters shows Universal delivering all of these at scale.