Fidelity Encourages Return to U.K. Office, Says CEO

(Bloomberg) -- Fidelity International is inviting its U.K. staff to return to the City of London now the government has dropped work-from-home guidance, Chief Executive Officer Anne Richards said.

“We will be encouraging more people to come into the office but we are very much observing the same kind of sensible protocols because omicron, yes, it looks like it’s under control, case numbers are falling but we’re not through it yet,” Richards said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Thursday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted guidance to work from home Wednesday, just over a month after the recommendation was made in an attempt to slow the spread of the new Covid-19 variant. Other measures, including wearing face masks in public spaces, will be abandoned next week. 

Fidelity offices have been open for skeleton staff throughout the pandemic and Richards said the asset manager, which oversees around $780 billion globally, continues to monitor staff sickness closely to avoid operational issues.

“I’m looking forward to being physically back to the office from next week,” Richards said.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc. also said Thursday they were asking London staff to return to their desks for at least some of the working week.

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