Synovate moved its headquarters for the Americas from Arlington Heights to 222 South Riverside in Chicago's central business district, where it leased 85,000 square feet.
The move, initiated to reinvigorate the company's corporate culture, brought more than 525 employees downtown, with plans for additional hiring. In Arlington Heights, "we had a great view of the race course but it didn't give us the drive and energy you get in a big city," said Robert Philpott, CEO for Synovate in the Americas. The company is going through a "cultural change from quite a local company to a global operation," he said. "We wanted the pace and drive of a city center."
"We were finding it more difficult to get young people to come out to the suburbs," said Philpott. "We wanted to create an employment location that is dynamic and forward thinking."
World Business Chicago worked with the company on its move for more than two years. Synovate's relocation to downtown is the largest since Boeing's World Headquarters arrived in September 2001. Some 525 employees made the move and an additional 150-200 employees are expected to be hired.
