**London Drops Out of the Top Five Global Business Hubs**
– A Quarter of the Largest Companies in the World Are Based in Just Five Cities
– London Slips to Eighth Position in 2023 Rankings
London, England’s capital and a major business hub, has been a prominent player among the top global business hubs for years. However, in the latest rankings, London has slipped from the top five positions for the first time in five years. The city now occupies the eighth position, hosting only nine companies in the Fortune Global 500 list for 2023. This is a significant drop from its fourth place ranking in 2022, with 13 companies headquartered in the city.
**Fortune Global 500 Top Five Cities**
1. Beijing – 53 companies
2. Tokyo – 29 companies
3. New York – 16 companies
4. Seoul – 13 companies
5. Shanghai – 12 companies
London has long been in competition with Paris, another prominent European city. Paris, known for its mix of finance, luxury, and consumer brands, has managed to surpass London in the rankings. It now stands at the sixth position on the list of cities hosting the most Global 500 companies.
[image](https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/ljoDB/1/)
**Impact of Brexit**
London has been a critical hub not only for the United Kingdom but also for the entire European region. In 1995, the city hosted 27 Fortune Global 500 companies. Companies were attracted to London due to its strategic location, access to trade with Europe and the rest of the world, and its status as an economic and financial powerhouse. Even historic brands like Unilever shifted their headquarters to London in favor of being domiciled in the British capital city.
However, Brexit and the challenges associated with it have posed new obstacles for companies operating out of London. Increased isolation and export hurdles, along with the impact of the pandemic, have contributed to the city’s decline in the rankings. Rising costs, a slowdown in economic growth, and the uncertainty created by Brexit have all played a role in London’s diminishing position.
The number of Global 500 companies based in London has been on a downward trend since the Eurozone crisis in 2010. In 2015, London had 19 Global 500 companies, but this number decreased to 15 by 2023. Although London may still retain significance in the global context, experts predict that its growth potential compared to other global cities will be much smaller in the future.
**Not All Doom and Gloom**
Despite London’s decline in the rankings, the city is still home to some of the largest companies in the world. Shell and BP, two fossil fuel giants, have their headquarters in London and rank ninth and twenty-second globally, respectively.
**Europe’s Declining Business Hubs**
London is not the only European city facing a decline in its status as a business hub. Italy has seen a decrease in the number of Global 500 companies from eight to five in the past decade, while France has experienced a decline from 31 to 24. Germany, on the other hand, has seen a slight increase from 29 to 30 companies.
According to Jean-Pascal Tricoire, the CEO of Schneider Electric, a Global 500 company based in France, other countries like the United States and China have allowed big tech companies to flourish in ways that Europe has not been able to. He emphasized that companies need a large domestic market to build a strong global presence, especially in a world where Indian, Chinese, and American companies already dominate.
In summary, London’s drop from the top five global business hubs is a significant development. Brexit, along with other challenges, has contributed to this decline. However, London still remains an important player in the global business landscape, with several major companies calling it home. Europe as a whole is facing similar challenges, and European countries need to adapt to the changing global dynamics to regain their competitiveness.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings