Ryan Prince established Realstar's UK operation in 2002 and since this time the company has acquired and developed over £3B of assets, including a portfolio of 73 Holiday Inn hotels comprising of 13,000 rooms, over 6,000 rental residential and student accommodation assets and a national portfolio of primary healthcare centres. Most recently the company has created UNCLE - a new kind of rental housing brand. Rated #1 on Trust Pilot in the UK, UNCLE’'s mission is to offer 'renting as it should be'. From a standing start in 2017, UNCLE now has 12 locations open and under construction in London, Leeds and Manchester and through its joint venture with QuadReal, is seeking to at least double in size of the next 3-5 years. I sat down with Ryan to discuss a broad range of subjects which covered some of the following topics: Early career moves & reason for moving to the UK Ditching venture and how he got into the real estate game His first real estate deal, and how he got the UK business off the ground Scaling Realstar to a £3bn 5000 unit UK business Ryan’s ‘strategyless’ approach to business Views on the UK housing targets & government Importance of brand in a commoditised world and the creation of UNCLE Approach to raising, and retaining capital partners Advice for those wanting to set up your own business Current market trends Future growth plans Oh and one last question - who are the People, what Property, and in which Place Ryan would invest should he have £500m of capital at his disposal. Catch the full episode which will be live on Youtube, Spotify and Apple NOW! The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne - the team recruit Leadership & Future Leadership hires for Real Estate Funds, Owners, Investors & Developers. #realestate #podcast #peoplepropertyplace #property
Manish Gudka | Baptism of Fire to £1bn Deals | People Property Place Podcast Subscribe To My Channel For More Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLeY7xnoJ08uYlGb-Y0j96A For many, real estate careers are about steady growth, one sector, one model. But Manish Gudka’s story at Aprirose shows what it takes to adapt, survive, and thrive across cycles. From the family soap business in Kenya seeding property investments in the UK, to steering Aprirose through the Global Financial Crisis and beyond, this is a journey about resilience, reinvention, and family values. In this episode, Manish reflects on his baptism of fire managing 14 tenants in Manchester, the hard lessons from 2007–09, and what it’s like building a £1bn platform side-by-side with his 84-year-old father, who still takes the Tube into the office. We talk candidly about capital raising, investor trust, and why Aprirose has deliberately resisted the blind-pool fund model in favour of long-term deal-by-deal partnerships. This is a rare, wide-ranging conversation with a CEO who rarely speaks publicly — packed with insights on markets, leadership, and the realities of running a family-backed platform. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: ✅ Baptism of Fire – What a 14-tenant Manchester property taught him early in his career ✅ Cycles & Crises – How the 2007–09 crash reshaped Aprirose’s strategy ✅ Investor Trust – Why transparency and alignment matter more than structures ✅ Family & Leadership – What it’s really like working with his father every day ✅ Capital Raising – The deal-by-deal approach and why Aprirose never launched a blind pool fund ✅ Resilience – The mindset needed to firefight tenants, banks, and downturns ✅ Growth Vision – Where Aprirose sees opportunity in the next decade Oh, and one last thing… In every episode, I ask each guest: Who are the People, what Property, and which Place they would invest in if they had £500m at their disposal? Don’t miss Manish’s answer in this episode! Got any thoughts or questions about this podcast? Feel free to share them in the comments, I’m always up for a chat! And if you’re enjoying what I’m putting out, don’t forget to hit subscribe and turn on the notification bell so you’ll never miss out on the next podcast. 🎧 Listen Here: https://linktr.ee/peoplepropertyplace The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne – Recruiting Leadership & Future Leadership hires for Real Estate Funds, Owners, Investors & Developers. You can also connect with me on social media, I’d love to hear from you there too. Thanks again for hanging out with me! 🔊 LIKE ➡️ SHARE ➡️ SUBSCRIBE https://linktr.ee/peoplepropertyplace
From billion-euro retail deals to leading Europe’s largest apartment hotel operator, and now steering one of the fastest-growing healthcare real estate platforms, Simon Betty’s career has spanned multiple cycles, asset classes, and countries. In this episode, Simon shares how his early career choices set him on a path into retail, how he navigated Hammerson through some of its most challenging moments, and what it was really like to run the €2.5B Project Jewel transaction in Ireland. We dive into the lessons he learned leading through the brutality of Covid, why the macro always wins in real estate, and how healthcare has become one of the most thematically supported sectors in Europe today. This is a candid conversation about deals, leadership, and how to thrive in sectors that are built for the future. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: ✅ Project Jewel – Inside the high-stakes €2.5B Ireland loan portfolio acquisition ✅ Retail Realities – The brutal impact of Covid and the £800M rescue rights issue ✅ Macro vs Micro – Why timing beats talent in determining real estate returns ✅ Leadership Lessons – How saying “yes” shaped his career across multiple sectors ✅ Hospitality Shift – What running Adina taught him about operations and culture ✅ Healthcare Growth – Why cure-based facilities are becoming Europe’s next big asset class ✅ The Future – Where capital is heading in European real estate over the next decade Oh, and one last thing… In every episode, I ask each guest: Who are the People, what Property, and which Place they would invest in if they had £500m at their disposal? Don’t miss Simon’s answer in this episode! Got any thoughts or questions about this podcast? Feel free to share them in the comments, I’m always up for a chat! And if you’re enjoying what I’m putting out, don’t forget to hit subscribe and turn on the notification bell so you’ll never miss out on the next podcast. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6oCDnwWSTP685l6sn8F0a6 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/people-property-place/id1652694140 The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne – Recruiting Leadership & Future Leadership hires for Real Estate Funds, Owners, Investors & Developers. You can also connect with me on social media, I’d love to hear from you there too. Thanks again for hanging out with me! Subscribe To My Channel For More Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLeY7xnoJ08uYlGb-Y0j96A 🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE ► Rockbourne Website: www.rockbourne.com ► PPP Podcast LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/people-property-place-podcast/about/?viewAsMember=true ► Matthew Watts LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-watts-51575a57/ ► Business Enquiries: mwatts@rockbourne.com
Leo Shapland, Chief Executive of the King’s Cross Estate, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week. He reflects on his formative experiences at Brookfield Multiplex, to building international platforms at Tishman Speyer, returning to London with Aviva, then leading at Workspace before taking on his current role overseeing one of Europe’s most successful regeneration projects. Leo reflects on career pivots between investment, development, and leadership, the lessons learned on his journey. He shares candid thoughts on today’s market dynamics, and what it really takes to run a complex, mixed-use estate that attracts 20 million visitors a year. If you’re interested in global real estate careers, platform-building, large-scale regeneration, or the future of London’s office and mixed-use market, this episode is for you. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: • How watching the regeneration of Shad Thames sparked his interest in real estate. • Leaving Cushman after just two days to join Multiplex, taking on pan-European acquisitions in his early 20s. • What a decade at Tishman Speyer taught him about capital raising, transactions, and development. • Lessons from moving abroad: delivering large office and residential projects in San Francisco and opening Tishman’s Seattle office. • Why he shifted from pure investment to broaden out into development, operations, and leadership. • Returning to London: Aviva Investors, governance, ESG, and making countercyclical bets during Covid. • The Workspace experience: working closely with entrepreneurial SME customers and running a vertically integrated platform. • Why Kings Cross is, in his view, one of Europe’s best regeneration schemes - and what the future looks like • His take on the market – where demand is strongest and what is the hardest to make work right now. And finally... With £500m to invest, which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne: Giving real estate investors a difficult choice, who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn. #realestate #property #podcast #placemaking #regeneration #realestateinvestment #kingscross #London
Jay Kwan, Managing Director and Head of Europe at QuadReal Property Group, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast this week. We cover Jay’s global journey from humble beginnings in LA, to Lehman Brothers, to leading international investment teams at Soros and TPG, and now spearheading QuadReal’s growth across Europe. Jay shares hard-won lessons on capital cycles, navigating workouts, and building trust-based partnerships across multiple markets. He breaks down the thinking behind QuadReal’s platform strategy, sector convictions, and how they deploy long-term capital flexibly across the risk curve. If you're interested in global real estate investing, institutional capital, platform-building, or market timing, this episode is worth your time. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: • Breaking into real estate through Lehman Brothers and surviving the “Squid Game” analyst culling • Gaining an edge through international experience across Asia, Europe, the US and Russia • Learning through workouts, restructurings and JV fallouts that shaped his investment approach • Building QuadReal in Europe from scratch. First hires, first deals, and their conviction-led strategy • Why cultural and ethical alignment matter more than strategy • Want to partner with QuadReal? Jay shares what they look for in an operating partner • Navigating market uncertainty and geopolitical risk while staying agile • The myth of permanence and how sectors can shift faster than expected · Why you shouldn’t chase a pay cheque, instead focus on stacking skills, take international chances, and look for asymmetric opportunities. And finally... With £500m to invest, which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne: Giving real estate investors a difficult choice, who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn. #realestate #privateequity #property #podcast #investor
James Craig, Co-Founder of Oval Real Estate, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast this week. We discuss James’s journey from surveying to running a diversified real estate investment business. He reflects on pivotal career decisions, key deals, and the thinking behind Oval’s sector-agnostic strategy. James shares lessons from launching Oval in a down market, building high-trust partnerships, and navigating complex development and regeneration projects. He also gives his view on current market dynamics, the role of public-private collaboration, and what it takes to build a successful, enduring real estate business. If you're interested in real estate entrepreneurship, platform-building, public-sector partnership, or value-add investing, this episode is for you. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: · Betting on Fit Over Convention · Why he walked away from his APC and corporate surveying path early, in favour of an entrepreneurial property trading-led environment. · Skill stacking – how he learned to originate, manage, and exit deals across Europe · Reality of trying, (unsuccessfully) to match deals with capital, and the lessons learnt · Oval’s origin story, approach to business, investment thesis and partnership philosophy · How they have pivoted during market cycles, and have deliberately avoided single-sector exposure. · Inside scoop on what it takes to have a successful public & private partnership · We discuss key deals, from Digbeth and the Langham Estate to Mayfair offices and the £900m Henderson portfolio · Message to would-be founders: "Don’t wait. It doesn’t matter if it’s a good or bad market. You’ve just got to go for it." And finally... With £500m to invest, which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne: Giving real estate investors a difficult choice, who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn. #realestate #property #podcast #regeneration #realestateinvestment #placemaking #offices #birmingham #london
Kevin Mofid, Head of Industrial & Logistics Research at Savills, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week. We discuss his journey into real estate, the evolution of research in the sector, and key insights into the UK and European logistics markets. Kevin shares his data-driven view of market trends, rental growth dynamics, build-to-suit versus existing stock, and the increasing importance of supply-side fundamentals when making investment decisions. If you're active in the industrial or logistics real estate market across the UK & Europe, and you're interested in data-driven decision-making, or the forces shaping demand and supply in the sector, this episode is for you. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: · Kevin’s unconventional path into real estate, and his pivotal early career moves · The evolution of research from a back-office function to a front-line, strategic, in demand tool · What the UK logistics data is really showing, and why build-to-suit deals are under pressure · Rising vacancy in a market with strong demand, and what that disconnect tells us · Speculative development trends, and how they’re shaping short-term supply risks · Why second-hand stock is growing fast, and how much of it is actually usable · The real drivers of industrial demand, and why retail still dominates · Nearshoring, reshoring, and how they are reshaping long-term European strategy · Rental growth that’s defying historic vacancy relationships, and why · The evolving role of AI in warehousing and supply chain decision-making · Why smart investors are prioritising supply-side data over demand forecasts · Kevin’s take on the biggest risk facing the sector today, and the data point he’s watching most closely Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne: Giving real estate investors a difficult choice, who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn. #realestate #property #podcast #logistics #data #industrial
Philip Stott, Co-Founder of Caisson IO, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast this week. We discuss his early career journey to co-founding Caisson IO, a boutique investment management firm that integrates data and technology to, invest and manage multi-let industrial assets across the UK. Philip shares valuable insights on the role of data in real estate, building a tech-enabled investment platform, and how their approach to asset management has evolved. If you're interested in real estate investment management, data-driven strategies, or scaling a specialised platform in the industrial sector, this episode is for you. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: · Early exposure to real estate and how Philip’s family business influenced his entrepreneurial mindset · How Philip’s career evolved from traditional surveying to tech sales and then pivoting into investment management · Insights from his experience at Yardi, including building their European platform and understanding financial systems and applying this learing to the investment management space · How they launched the business - raising capital from friends and family · How data-driven insights help Caisson IO identify market trends and opportunities in multi-let industrial assets · The resilience and appeal of multi-let industrial assets as a stable income-generating asset class · Building a strong, collaborative team and fostering a culture of empowerment for business growth · Caisson IO’s plans for future growth, leveraging specialixed expertise and data-backed strategies And finally... With £500m to invest, which People, what Property, and which Place would Philip choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne: Giving real estate investors a difficult choice, who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn.
Philip Gadsden, Managing Partner at Orchard Street Investment Management, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week. We cover his 40+ year career in institutional real estate - from Jones Lang Wootton and Gatehouse, to building Invista, and now leading Orchard Street’s shift into impact investing. We get into his views on separate accounts, discretionary capital, asset-level execution, decarbonisation, and the evolution of investor expectations. If you’re interested in UK fund management and real estate’s shift toward ESG and impact, this one’s for you. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: Why he chose real estate as a career, and the early moves that shaped his career Lessons learnt from launching his own business Launching one of the UK’s first impact-led real estate funds in partnership with Brunel and Access The market’s shift toward responsible investing, ESG metrics, and decarbonisation targets Evolution of the UK Fund Management space Why shorter leases and active management are now even more essential to driving returns and mitigate risk The opportunity set in industrial, retail parks, and residential Why OSIM are focused on future proofing second-hand assets given that 80% of 2050’s buildings already exist And finally... With £500m to invest, which People, what Property, and which Place would Philip choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne: Giving real estate investors a difficult choice of who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn, lets talk!
Marcus Meijer, Founder and CEO of MARK, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week. We talk through his journey from third-generation developer to building one of Europe’s leading independent investment managers. We get into how Marcus thinks about platform creation, market timing, team building, and where he sees the next wave of opportunity. If you're interested in real estate private equity, specialist strategies, or scaling across Europe, this one’s for you. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: · Growing up around real estate and what he learned from early exposure to market cycles · Lessons from Hines and Goldman Sachs that shaped how he builds teams and makes decisions · The origins of MARK and how they raised their first fund · Pivoting away from generalist value-add funds and toward sector-specific platforms · How they built VR Outlets into a €1bn+ platform with APG and Value Retail · Lessons learnt from Crossbay 1 and the validation from the sale to Prologis, and plans for Crossbay 2 · How winning third-party mandates leverage the existing teams’ skills, and generate fees while giving MARK an investment edge · His take on the market, the challenges, opportunities and future of real estate · What success looks like to Marcus and how he thinks about legacy and ownership And finally... With £500m to invest, which People, what Property, and which Place would Marcus choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne: Giving real estate investors a difficult choice, who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn. #realestate #property #podcast #privateequity
Jon Lurie, Founder of Realty Corporation, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week. We talk through his journey from accidental landlord to managing billions at Goldman Sachs and Blackstone and why he decided to launch his own real estate investment firm. We get into how Jon navigates cycles, build conviction-led investment themes, and why real estate is no longer guaranteed a spot in capital allocators portfolios. If you're interested in private equity real estate, platform building, or contrarian value creation, this one's for you. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: · How inheriting a small office building and studying game theory shaped his thinking early on · Badge collecting – the reasons for the moves, and lessons learnt for working at some of the worlds leading institutions · How he survived the GFC at Goldman and what kept him in the room · Reflections from building real estate platforms at scale across Europe at Blackstone · How balancing asset-level detail and macro conviction has enabled outperformance · Why he left Blackstone to launch Realty · Why he believes in conviction-led investment strategies rooted in deep research · What ties UK student housing, German distress, and data centres together · Why real estate has lost its automatic seat in institutional portfolios and what it must do to win it back And finally... With £500m to invest, which People, what Property, and which Place would Jon choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne: Giving Real Estate Investors a difficult choice, who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn.
Gawain Smart, CEO of International Campus Group, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week. We talk through his journey from a legal career in Canada and Wall Street to running one of Europe’s largest living sector platforms. We get into what it takes to scale and professionalise a private equity-backed real estate business, how to lead through change, and what’s coming next for European student and co-living assets. If you're interested in operational real estate, business building, or managing complex international platforms, this one's for you. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: • Breaking free from early career inertia • Moving from execution to leadership and why being a generalist matters • What it really means to institutionalise a founder-led business • Building the right team and why people issues make or break a CEO • Growing ICG’s AUM to a mammoth €1.9bn across Europe • How to prioritise when everything feels urgent • Co-living vs student housing and why ICG focuses on both • The value of local teams in pan-European investing • Structuring pan-European teams and deal flow and why patience is critical • Why European PBSA is still in its infancy and where the real supply/demand gap lies • Capital flows shifting into Europe and what’s attracting investors right now • How AI will reshape talent, workflows, and decision-making And finally... With £500m to invest, which People, what Property, and which Place would Gawain choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne: Giving Real Estate Investors a difficult choice, who to hire. If you're serious about hiring top real estate talent in 2025 and want to do it differently, DM me on LinkedIn.
Dean Harrison, Founder of Harleyford Capital, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week. We explore his journey from a motocross-obsessed upbringing to building Harleyford Capital, a best-in-class institutional operating platform in one of the toughest real estate markets of the last decade. Dean breaks down the discipline, grit, and mindset needed to build something from scratch. If you’re thinking about launching your own platform, raising capital, or understanding how Dean and his partners got the platform off the ground, this one’s worth your time. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: How a year driving mid-box developer Jeff Penman of Tungsten Properties shaped his early ambitions Deans early career moves, and skills acquired to break into real estate private equity His 10-year career at InfraRed Capital Partners - its unique culture, approach and how it gave him outsized responsibility Honest reflections on the brutal challenges of launching the business Building a platform that institutional investors want to work with, and the Harleyford USP Getting up at 4:30am, cutting out alcohol, and the personal productivity shifts needed to go through the gears, building the business Going from standing start to putting £250m+ to work in 18 months What is New Economy Real Estate and what is the investment angle? What he looks for in institutional partners - and the three traits every hire at Harleyford must have And finally... With £500m to invest – which People, what Property, and which Place would Dean choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne – Giving Real Estate Investors a difficult choice of who to hire. If you're serious about adding game-changing talent in 2025 and are open to doing it differently, DM me on LinkedIn.
Revisiting: How Developers Are Becoming City Builders – with Morwenna Hall, COO, Related Argent In this special recap episode, we revisit one of our most thought-provoking conversations — with Morwenna Hall, Chief Operating Officer at Related Argent. As we reflect on the highlights from this episode, we explore how Morwenna redefines the role of the modern developer — far beyond bricks, leases, and rent reviews. From rebuilding schools and delivering healthcare infrastructure to cultural placemaking and tenant matchmaking, her insights challenge outdated models of real estate and asset management. 💡 Key themes in this recap: • Why developers now have civic responsibilities • The rise of cross-disciplinary teams in real estate • How to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry • Why curiosity and flexibility matter more than qualifications • What makes someone indispensable in modern placemaking If you missed the full conversation, this recap will give you a powerful snapshot. And if you’ve heard it before, this is your chance to revisit the big ideas — and reflect on how much the industry has already shifted. Got any thoughts or questions about this podcast? Feel free to share them in the comments, I’m always up for a chat! And if you’re enjoying what I’m putting out, don’t forget to hit subscribe and turn on the notification bell so you’ll never miss out on the next podcast. 🎧 Listen On: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6oCDnwWSTP685l6sn8F0a6 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/people-property-place/id1652694140 The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne – Recruiting Leadership & Future Leadership hires for Real Estate Funds, Owners, Investors & Developers. You can also connect with me on social media, I’d love to hear from you there too. Thanks again for hanging out with me! 🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE ►Rockbourne Website: www.rockbourne.com ►PPP Podcast LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/people-property-place-podcast/about/?viewAsMember=true ►Matthew Watts LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-watts-51575a57/ ►Business Enquiries: mwatts@rockbourne.com #RealEstate #Placemaking #UrbanDevelopment #Leadership #RelatedArgent #MorwennaHall #Proptech #PodcastRecap #CityBuilding #ModernDeveloper
Natan Lempert, Co-Founder and CEO of Built AI, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week. We unpack his journey from investment banking in New York and London to real estate private equity, and ultimately founding Built AI - a platform using AI to streamline underwriting and asset management for institutional real estate investors and brokers. Having been a practitioner, Natan brings deep technical knowledge and has a strong entrepreneurial mindset. If you’re a leader currently looking at your business, working out how you can utilise AI products to streamline decision making this one’s for you. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: · His origin story, growing up in the 90 · His early career moves, in investment banking at Baupost, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup · Transitioning into real estate, principal investment gaining value add & opportunistic deal experience across Europe · The “1-minute on a Friday” story that inspired Built AI’s creation · What is Built AI, what does it do, and who uses it? · How Built AI enables Investors to screen deals rapidly, removing the inefficiencies and grind of manual underwriting at scale · Advise to investors looking at tech adoption & why you shouldn’t build products in-house · The future of AI agents in real estate and autonomous task management · His vision for Built AI as the operating system for real estate professionals · What the investment manager of the future might look like And finally… With £500m to invest - which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ is powered by Rockbourne - Giving Real Estate Investors a difficult choice of who to hire. If you’re serious about adding game-changing talent in 2025 and are open to doing it differently, DM me on LinkedIn.
Keith Breslauer, Managing Director & Senior Partner at Patron Capital Partners, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast this week. Please note that this conversation was originally released on the 18th July 2024, and we have decided to re-release it given the recent news that Mitsubishi Estate Co. has acquired a majority stake in European private equity property fund manager Patron Capital. In this conversation, we trace Keith’s journey from a self-funded entrepreneur in New York to building one of Europe’s leading opportunistic real estate investment firms - Patron Capital Partners, with over €5.4bn raised across 17 countries. Keith is honest, reflective, and deeply driven by purpose. He doesn’t shy away from the challenges and lessons learned from nearly three decades in private equity real estate. If you’re interested in real estate fund management, distressed investing, fundraising, or leadership driven by long-term thinking and values, this episode is jammed packed full of wisdom. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: • Early career lessons and building a software business to fund his education • How a career in secured credit at Lehman Brothers led him into European real estate • Why he left Lehman to start Patron and how he raised his first fund • What made Patron’s hybrid local partner model so effective across Europe • Alignment between LPs, Patron’s internal team, and local operating partners • Why discipline on leverage preserved Patron’s position through GFC and COVID • What he learned from raising and deploying seven funds • We discuss the most recently €860m raise for Fund VII • The opportunity set today - distress, ESG, supply-demand mispricing • Fund structure, deal sizing, and where specifically Patron deploys it capital • The evolution of his investor base and the shift away from US LPs • How political and macro uncertainty is affecting decision-making • Reflections on legacy, purpose, and why charity work has become so central to him And finally… With £500m to invest – which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne – Giving Real Estate Investors a difficult choice of who to hire. If you’re serious about adding game-changing talent in 2025 and are open to doing it differently, DM me on LinkedIn. #realestate #privateequity #property #fundmanagement #podcast
In this episode, I chat with Kevin Aitchison, MBE and Managing Director – Head of Europe at Savills Investment Management, about his remarkable journey from building surveyor to being an accomplished CEO, having led firms such as ING Real Estate, Knight Frank Investment Management, and Savills Investment Management’s European platform. Kevin is unassuming, empathetic, honest, open, thoughtful, self-depreciating, humble and is not the stereo typical caricature of a CEO that immediately springs to mind. But boy oh boy does he speak with such authority, wisdom and perspective. If you're interested in leadership, real estate investment management, personal development, lessons learnt, or finding meaning beyond the bottom line, this episode is packed with gems. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: · Early moves from building surveying into asset management and then leadership · Different skill sets needed to start something vs scale something · His take on leadership, the Peter Principle, and sticking to your values · The phone call he thought was a hoax that turned out to be an MBE for services to wheelchair rugby · Market views, structural shifts, and where he sees the opportunity · Therapy, mental health, and the regrets he lives with due to the family time he sacrificed · Fear of failure as a motivator, and how he’s learned to reframe it · Why he writes about leadership, musings, family and mental health on LinkedIn · Advice for people earlier on in their careers · And so much more – the above summary does this conversation a dis-service! And finally... With £500m to invest – which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne - Giving Real Estate Investors a difficult choice of who to hire. If you’re serious about adding game-changing talent in 2025 and are open to doing it differently, DM me on LinkedIn.
In this episode, I sat down with the absolute powerhouse that is Zena Couppey, CEO of Altum Group, to unpack her extraordinary journey from leaving school at 16 to leading Altum, a rapidly scaling global fund administration business more than 200 people across six international offices. If you’re interested in business building, private markets, fund administration, or scaling a high-performance team, this one’s worth a listen. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: * Leaving school at 16 to join Ernst & Young full time * How she led a management buyout, and rebrand of Altum, raising PE money, and growing the business from 35 to 200+ people across six offices * Using tech to optimise, and drive efficiencies across the business * Her approach to client acquisition, retention, and why service trumps scale * Why culture beats strategy – and how she leads by example * Key trends in capital flows – including the rise of Middle Eastern family offices and JV structures * The growing focus on operational real estate, life sciences, and healthcare assets * How she balances motherhood, leadership, and a global travel schedule Advice for women returning to work and what true equity in the workplace looks like * What makes a great fund administration partner – and why most providers still get it wrong * Zena also shares what she would tell her younger self, and why being underestimated was her biggest motivator. And finally... With £500m to invest – which People, what Property, and which Place would she choose? Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne - Giving Real Estate Investors a difficult choice of who to hire. If you’re serious about adding game-changing talent in 2025 and are open to doing it differently, DM me on LinkedIn.
In this episode, I sat down with Jermaine Browne - co-founder of Re:shape Living Group and Ark Co-Living - to unpack his journey from urban sociology student to becoming one of the UK’s leading voices in co-living, regeneration and alternative living. If you’re interested in planning, entrepreneurial grit, urban renewal or the business of building places where people actually want to live, this is essential listening. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: · How early exposure to regeneration shaped his purpose · Breaking into the real estate industry · Lessons from a decade in public sector planning roles · Co-founding Re:shape Living, during Covid and how he financed the business · How he leveraged partnerships with trusted consultants · How Ark Wembley became their proof of concept in co-living · Building a team, and moving from a founder-led to an institutional-ready business · Why he has such a clear focus on delivering policy-compliant affordable housing · Practical advice for breaking into real estate from non-traditional backgrounds And finally… With £500m to invest – which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose? Jermaine shares his answer, focused on housing delivery, backing next-gen founders, and building the homes people need today. Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne – Giving Real Estate Investors, a difficult choice who to hire. If you’re serious about adding game-changing talent in 2025 and are open to doing it differently, DM me on LinkedIn.
In this episode, I sit down with Sir David Michels (the first Sir on the pod!) – former CEO of Hilton, Deputy Chairman of Marks & Spencer, and Non-Executive Director at British Land and EasyJet – to explore his stellar corporate and non-executive career. If you’re interested in leadership, decision-making and the realities of running capital-intensive businesses, this conversation offers direct insight from someone who’s done it at the highest level. Key Topics Covered In This Episode: · From school dropout, waiting tables to building one of the most impressive corporate CV’s · Brilliant basics - why asking questions, listening and understanding people has shaped his approach to leadership · International Growth - Taking UK hotels to the US market · Turning Around Stakis - Navigating a multi-bank restructure involing 27 parties · Hilton & Ladbrokes - Managing global brands, major acquisitions and the shift from owner to flag · Real Estate vs. Operations - Why hotel ownership carries more risk than many investors realise · Life as a Non-Exec - The role of the board, the CEO relationship, and where governance adds value · Michels & Taylor - Building a hotel advisory and management business · Career Perspective - On luck, pressure, regrets, and how success evolves over time And finally... With £500m to invest - which People, what Property, and which Place would he choose? Sir David shares his answer, shaped by decades in hospitality and a long-term view on real estate value. Enjoying the show? Follow and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne – Recruiting Leadership & Future Leadership hires for Real Estate Funds, Owners, Investors & Developers.