Q&A with A+E Networks

HOW TO CREATE THE BEST PLACE TO WORK IN TELEVISION

A+E Networks UK broadcasts a portfolio of leading factual and entertainment brands: HISTORY®, Lifetime®, Crime + Investigation®, H2® and the very first UK free to air entertainment channel, BLAZE™.

We caught up with Karl Burnett, VP HR Director and Elaine Jackson, Head of Office & Facilities Management, at their impressive 20,000 sq ft office at 1 Queen Caroline Street in Hammersmith, to discover just what makes A+E ‘The Best Place to Work in Television’

1. HOW HAS THE COMPANY EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS? Before we moved to Hammersmith, A+E Networks UK was based in Brentford whilst A+E International – a division of our shareholder company – was based in Mayfair. This reinforced the separate nature of these two companies. We set out to make these two companies into one team under the same roof with the help of DeVono. 2. WHAT LEVEL OF INFLUENCE DID THE WIDER WORKFORCE HAVE ON DECISIONS MADE ABOUT THE NEW OFFICE SPACE? We spent a lot of time researching the different considerations – the location, accessibility, size etc. We wanted to be close to Heathrow and be surrounded by other media companies. We also looked at our own workforce – where they lived and what their access would be to different postcodes. All of this information was taken into account.

"With the myriad tools available to brokers, for me, the key ingredient to a successful partnership is how acutely our needs are heard and translated into action. The entire team at DeVono deciphered our ambitions with patience, pragmatism and good humour. Not only did they present options that answered the questions I had, they provided alternative directions informed by their local expertise, which, being based in the USA, was vital for me to be able to make solid, well-informed decisions. I would not hesitate to recommend."

Matthew Stares, Herman Miller

"DeVono provided E.ON Ruhrgas with excellent support, guidance and valuable industry knowledge during the search for our new office location. Their service provided our Management Team with an extensive list of the options available both on and off the market so that we felt an informed decision could be made on our move. It is evident that DeVono is a dynamic company, who put the interests of the tenants as their sole priority in the London commercial office market place."

Alex Enness, E.ON Ruhrgas UK North Sea Ltd.

"We really appreciated your help. We got the result we wanted at a speed we could never have achieved ourselves and we're very pleased that we engaged you."

Paul Coad, Kainos

"Our experience with DeVono and you specifically could not have been better. It was a relief to have an expert negotiating on our behalf and, most importantly, sticking with a long and difficult assignment."

Peter Larson, Enpocket

"I must also comment that the service received from DeVono has been exemplary. In what I have experienced to be the unpleasant world of estate agency it has been a real joy to work with you. You have been driven, proactive, reliable and extremely quick and responsive. The fact that you are pleasant to work with has been a bonus. Working with DeVono has been one of the very best customer experiences of my business career."

Alan Clayton, Cascaid (The Good Agency)

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Q&A with A+E Networks

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