Who was the developer of The Shard in London?

The developer of The Shard in London was Irvine Sellar.

Sellar was an English property developer who acquired the site of the former Southwark Towers near London Bridge in 1998. He partnered with Qatari investors to transform the site into a landmark mixed-use skyscraper. The project was developed through Sellar Property Group, with the State of Qatar providing most of the funding.

Italian architect Renzo Piano designed the tower, which rises to 309.6 metres and became the tallest building in the United Kingdom when completed in 2012. Its glass-clad, tapering form was intended to resemble a shard of glass, giving the building its name.

The question can cause confusion because several high-profile figures were connected with the project. Piano was the architect, while Qatar was a major financial partner and later owner. Irvine Sellar was the property developer who initiated and drove the development. Sellar died in 2017, five years after The Shard opened.