Willis Building (London) 2004 and 2008 under the management of Mace and represented a significant addition to the City of London skyline, becoming its fourth-tallest building after Tower 42, 30 St Mary Axe and CityPoint. The core was topped out in July 2006 and the steelwork completed in September that year. Cladding began in July 2006 and the structure was externally completed by June 2007. It was internally fitted out and officially opened in April 2008. The building was the first in a wave of new tall towers for London's primary financial district. Others included The Pinnacle, the Leadenhall Building and the Heron
St. Helen's (skyscraper) Axe, in the City of London, which it desired to develop as its new headquarters. The site comprised adjacent properties in St Mary Axe and the former Shell building in Great St Helens. At the same time the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company was planning to redevelop its city offices in Leadenhall Street. Due to a number of issues affecting both sites, notably poor access to the Commercial Union site and the restricted width of the Peninsular and Oriental site, it was not possible to obtain planning consents that would optimise the amount of floor space desired by either