Qualtrics moves to prime Dublin city site at One Clarendon Row

One of Dublin's most stylish modern office buildings, One Clarendon Row beside the Gaiety Theatre on South King Street, is to become the European headquarters for the American survey technology provider Qualtrics.

With high volume modern office space difficult to find in the south inner city, the company moved swiftly to rent the space vacated by the newly enlarged telecommunications specialist Three Ireland when it opted to relocate to larger accommodation at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay in the south docklands.

Qualtrics has been faced with the same dilemma as Three of having limited space at its current office on Earlsfort Terrace even though it only opened there in 2013.

The company specialises in “survey based enterprise data collection” – a role that allows it to monitor the views of customers and employees as well as studying sales and operating functions.

Skilled staff

Staff numbers have grown rapidly to 85 because of the availability of a huge number of skilled staff attracted to Dublin by the cluster of digital companies based here.

Qualtrics' success in finding the high quality office space next door at Zara, Warehouse and H&M was primarily due to the prompt action of its property adviser Daniel Shannon of Knight Frank in acquiring the block in an off market transaction before it was due to be advertised.

The new facilities extending to 2,540 sq m (27,340 sq ft) will initially be occupied by its current staff and, as a sign of things to come, will be capable of accommodating up to 250 personnel. Shannon has also told the American company that if staff numbers exceed that figure, owners Lone Star might well be able to provide additional space on an adjoining development site.

Shannon said the location on South King Street was a “huge selling point” for his client as they had always expressed a strong preference for remaining in the core of Dublin 2’s central business district.

Another advantage for Qualtrics was that the previous tenant’s fit out offered a significant cost saving as well as an important time saving.

Qualtrics will be paying a rent of €505 per sq m (€47 per sq ft) on a 15-year lease with a break option at seven years.

In 2013 Qualtrics was named in the Forbes list of “America’s most promising companies”.