We’re on hand to find the right location for your needs.
Location strategy consulting
Achieve your business goals with location strategy support
Investing in a new location is a substantial commitment for any business – particularly when locating to a new region or country. Myriad factors such as the availability of incentives, IT, staff and property costs, will need careful evaluation to ensure that the investment of resources maximises the return.
At ForrestBrown, our location strategy advisory service can help support you in that process - saving you valuable time and resources. We offer a seamless end-to-end process starting with defining the project, evaluating locations based on agreed success criteria, visiting shortlisted locations and performing due diligence on finalist locations prior to recommendations.
Whether you’re looking to expand as part of your growth strategy or considering inward investment opportunities, ForrestBrown can support you with your location search.
Our location strategy service
Our four-stage approach to location strategy begins with defining the project and the factors critical to its success, before evaluating and ranking the locations using agreed key success criteria. We’ll then visit them, prior to undertaking due diligence on the finalist locations and recommending the one that best suits your needs.
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1. Defining the project
Our location strategy experts will begin by understanding your needs and the factors critical to the success of the project. They will meet with key stakeholders to identify main project drivers and agree search criteria and/or key locations to include in the evaluation.
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2. Evaluation of location options
The next step is for the team to evaluate the locations within the search area and rank them using agreed key success criteria. We’ll then shortlist locations for city visits.
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3. Visiting shortlisted locations
Once the shortlist is agreed, we get to work on the ground, visiting potential locations to identify those that best fit the agreed location criteria. You’ll then receive a list of preferred finalist locations.
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4. Due diligence at finalist locations
The final part of the project will be to perform due diligence at the finalist locations, prior to recommending a location. This will include drawing on our grants expertise to negotiate incentives.
Location strategy specialists
Technical Specialist Shyla Sudhir FCCA, has a wealth of expertise in supporting clients to evaluate their options and achieve their business goals.
Shyla has assisted with corporate site selection projects internationally, as well as securing government funding across the UK from various agencies including BEIS, Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK, and funding schemes from the European Union.
She works closely with Karim Budabuss, our Director of Grant Advisory, to ensure that all aspects of the strategy are covered and that you’re making the most of the incentives available to you in your new location.
Shyla Sudhir FCCA
Technical Specialist
Karim Budabuss CEng
Director – Grant Advisory
Karim Budabuss CEng
Director – Grant Advisory
- Grant advisory expert with Big Four experience.
- Significant experience supporting large businesses to access innovation incentives.
- Chartered engineer with the UK Engineering Council.
Expertise & specialisms
- Innovation funding
- Investment incentives and negotiated grants
- Decarbonisation projects
Karim works with large businesses, exploring all elements of the innovation toolkit, from R&D tax relief to grant funding. He takes a forward-looking approach, identifying opportunities which align with client projects and objectives.
Having previously led decarbonisation grant advisory for a Big Four firm in the UK, Karim joined ForrestBrown in 2023. His in-depth knowledge of grants provides further support for the innovative businesses we work with, enabling them to explore a wide range of funding opportunities.
Karim is a chartered engineer and gained more than five years’ experience as an engineering consultant and project manager for major infrastructure clients before specialising in innovation incentives. He has subsequently helped companies access millions of pounds from grant funding bodies such as Innovate UK, the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, and Scottish Enterprise in sectors including aerospace, energy and manufacturing.
Through this combination of technical and finance expertise, Karim is well placed to advise businesses on their eligibility for innovation funding and the most appropriate projects for which to seek funding support, at the same time contributing to meeting some our biggest societal challenges.
At ForrestBrown, Karim has also supported multinational companies seeking to invest and create jobs in the UK, for example securing government support for the location of new manufacturing facilities.
Whatever the scenario, ForrestBrown provides a bespoke service, benchmarking your location options according to key factors, including:
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- Workforce – an indication of the people resources available and workplace culture in a particular geography.
- Business environment – explanation of the regulatory framework and available subsidies.
- Infrastructure – insights into access and connectivity as well as availability of essential service infrastructure.
- Cost – understanding of the ongoing people and property costs.
By adopting a holistic approach, we’ll provide the information tailored to your project based on a mix of desktop and on-the-ground research and insights. We’ll work with you every step of the way to help you reach your decision.
Read more about what location strategy is and why it is important.
UK relocation and investment opportunities
The UK offers a range of generous investment incentives including grants and capital allowances to attract inward investment. If your organisation is looking at global investment opportunities to achieve optimal efficiency, then the UK has a lot to offer.
Investment zones and freeports provide hubs for innovation and investment across the UK. These represent lucrative opportunities for businesses looking to invest, especially those from priority sectors such as advanced manufacturing, digital technology and life sciences.
But how do you evaluate which investment zone offers the best opportunity for your business? It’s important to explore new and emerging locations, rather than focusing solely on well known, established destinations.
At ForrestBrown, an experienced location strategist will evaluate all opportunities – emerging and established – against your critical success factors, including assessment of the local business environment. Our expert team will then negotiate incentives with UK authorities on your behalf.
We have a track record of supporting multinational businesses with location decisions. Speak to us today.
Supporting you on your business journey
Whether you’re a Director of Incentives, Head of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, Finance Director, Head of Real Estate, Head of HR or a Global Head of Tax or Finance, ForrestBrown can provide a bespoke approach to meet your needs.
Our multi-sector experience means that whether you’re a large multinational manufacturer looking for a new production centre or a pharmaceutical company seeking a research facility, we can help you.
The journey doesn’t end with a chosen location either. Our multi-disciplinary team can help advise on the incentives that your business might be eligible for in its new location, including grant funding, R&D tax relief and capital allowances.
Case study
Identifying a greenfield manufacturing site
Shyla assisted this FMCG firm in finding a new site, using location strategy evaluation and incentives negotiation. She worked closely with the internal client team to support them with:
- Country and regional analysis before focusing on 15 sites in three countries.
- Evaluating local markets to find a sustainable workforce and effective sites including logistics and utility connection requirements.
- Site selection, including further due diligence and detailed grant negotiation.
Our latest insights
Considering your next move?
If you’re considering the next move for your business – either in the UK or internationally – why not tap into our wealth of expertise to find out how we can partner with you? Not only can we help you find the right location for your needs, but we can ensure that your investment yields maximum return.
- Telephone
- 0117 9269022
- hello@forrestbrown.co.uk