Asos to hire 1500 in London as it revamps Camden headquarters

Online fashion retailer Asos today hailed London’s “special” mix of talent as it announced plans to hire 1,500 staff for its Camden headquarters.

The company said it wanted to expand its head office workforce by 60% and will be spending £40 million on revamping its headquarters.

Nick Beighton, chief executive of Asos, which recently faced allegations of poor working conditions at its Barnsley warehouse that it called “inaccurate and misleading”, said it had explored options outside London but decided to stay in the capital.

“London is pretty special in terms of a mixture of skills. It thrives on young skills and there’s no one skill that dominates. It’s the best place for us,” he said.

The revamp of the headquarters will include a wellness centre and a concierge service to handle deliveries and “non-work related needs”. A former World War Two air raid shelter could become a bar or a screening room, Beighton said.

He described Asos typical employees as young, in keeping with its twentysomething customers, ambitious and fans of a “work hard, play hard” culture.

He called on the Government to “speak more clearly” about the future of EU workers in Britain. “I am aware that I don’t want talent to dry up post-Brexit,” he said.

Asos revenues hit £1.4 billion in the year to August 31 and the company is aiming to double sales in the next five years.