Slough’s Gateway for Global Talent

The growth and resilience of the U.K. economy depend on its ability to secure the talent needed to power its fastest-growing industries, particularly the green and digital sectors reshaping the global landscape. As competition for high-skilled professionals intensifies, the locations best equipped to attract, host, and support internationally mobile talent will be the ones driving the next wave of economic progress. Increasingly, organisations are looking beyond the capital – and Slough is emerging as a compelling destination with the scale, connectivity, and infrastructure to match global ambition.

For corporate relocation specialists, HR tech platforms, and global firms with large mobility programmes – from Cartus and Graebel to Accenture, PwC, Google, and Meta – Slough offers a strategic, well-connected base for deploying and supporting international talent. Equally, investors in international schools, specialist training facilities, and talent infrastructure (such as Nord Anglia Education and Inspired Education) will find a ready-made market shaped by growing demand and an expanding business ecosystem.

Location and Transport Links

Slough’s location is one of its greatest assets. Situated less than 15 minutes from Heathrow Airport and connected directly to London, Reading, and the wider Thames Valley, the borough offers exceptional national and international accessibility.

For globally mobile employees, this seamless connectivity reduces friction and ensures straightforward travel home – a key factor in supporting international assignments, mobility uptake, and long-term retention.

Key transport advantages include:

·        11 minutes to London Paddington via the Elizabeth Line

·        Direct links to Heathrow, with planned improvements set to expand access

·        Elizabeth Line connectivity opening up the entire London region

·        Immediate road access via the M4, M40, and M25 corridors

This connectivity positions Slough as a high-value base for companies managing cross-border teams, rotational assignments, and project-based talent.

Settling in Slough: A Place to Put Down Roots

When companies bring in global talent, it’s rarely just the employee whose needs matter. Relocation typically involves partners and children whose own priorities – schools, housing, community networks, and quality of life – influence whether a move is sustainable.

Slough stands out as a location that can meet these wider needs.

For families, the borough offers a strong mix of schools, universities, colleges, and skills programmes, ensuring a robust pipeline of local talent while supporting the next generation of professionals in digital, advanced manufacturing, and green tech.

New housing development is accelerating, including 170 new homes by the Grand Union Canal, creating a canal-side community destination, and the redevelopment of the former Thames Valley University site into a vibrant new neighbourhood for the town. These schemes create opportunities for residential and mixed-use investment while supporting the needs of internationally mobile families.

Pat Hayes, Executive Director of Housing, Property and Regeneration at Slough Borough Council, says: “Slough’s focus is on creating neighbourhoods where families can put down roots with excellent schools, high-quality new homes, and strong community networks – all within one of the best-connected locations in the country. Whether someone is arriving from across the U.K. or across the world, we want Slough to feel like a place where they can settle and contribute for the long term.”

A Proven Base for International Business

Slough’s ability to attract and support global talent is reinforced by the concentration of international companies already based here. As part of the U.K.’s ‘Silicon Corridor,’ Slough Trading Estate – the largest single privately owned business park in Europe – hosts a world-class cluster of multinational corporations across technology, pharmaceuticals, finance, manufacturing, and data services.

Global brands such as O2, Ferrari, DHL, Mars, and Nintendo have established major operations in Slough, drawn by strategic connectivity, a skilled workforce, and business-friendly infrastructure. Ongoing investment in digital infrastructure, including fibre expansion and smart-city planning, strengthens the borough’s appeal for firms with large-scale mobility needs or distributed global teams.

This international business ecosystem creates a setting where innovation, cross-border collaboration, and professional mobility are everyday realities. For relocation providers, HR tech platforms, and global mobility investors, Slough offers a ready demand base and strong opportunities for partnership. For internationally mobile employees and their families, it provides reassurance: they are relocating to a place already proven to support global workforces, multicultural teams, and diverse communities.

A Compelling Proposition for Global Mobility and Inward Investment

Slough’s combination of connectivity, international business presence, growing residential offer, and strong education ecosystem positions the borough as one of the U.K.’s most investable locations for talent-driven growth.

Whether supporting companies managing global mobility at scale, or attracting investment into future-focused schools, talent infrastructure, and neighbourhood development, Slough offers both the market demand and the long-term stability that investors require.

For organisations seeking a strategic hub for globally mobile talent ­– and for investors looking to participate in the growth of a world-class ecosystem – Slough stands ready to deliver.