Accelerating Careers in Real Estate

This week, we sit down with Alison Crofton, Chief Property Officer for Homes England. Alison shares her insights into the importance of authenticity in leadership, misconceptions about government agencies, and the significant impact introverts can have in the industry. From her beginnings at Berkeley Group and other major residential developers to her current leadership at Homes England, Alison's...

After a short break, we're back with our first episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate for 2025. We sit down with Henry Lumby, Chief Commercial Officer of Auriens, to discuss his remarkable 20-year career in the UK later-living sector. Henry shares insights into the key role relationships play in securing and retaining investors, working with agents, and building loyalty in the construction...

Navigating Career Success in Real Estate Development with John Moffat In this episode of 'Accelerating Careers in Real Estate,' host Nick Carman interviews John Moffat, Managing Director of Capital & Centric. John shares his career journey from a novice in property development to leading significant regeneration projects in the UK. The episode covers his early influences, biggest career challe...

So welcome back to another episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate. I'm your host Nick Carman and today I sit down with James Raynor, Chief Executive of Grosvenor Property UK, to dive into his extensive and dynamic career. From his unexpected start at RBS to building a successful business in Paris, and transitioning to Grosvenor in 2004, James shares the pivotal decisions and challenges tha...

In this second episode of the "DE&I Allyship" series on the Accelerating Careers in Real Estate podcast, the focus shifts from personal journeys to how we can all foster advocacy and allyship in real estate. Chair Jane Hollinshead leads a discussion on the essential role hiring and line managers play in creating a more inclusive workplace. Joining the conversation are industry experts Priya Sh...

In this episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate ESPRESSO, host Nick Carman revisits the career journey of Mark Woodrow recorded in the winter of 2020, then joint Managing Director of Packaged Living. The discussion reflects on Woodrow's experience during the 2008 financial crisis while working at Grainger, where he witnessed significant challenges but also embraced opportunities that shaped...

So this evening we have a very important episode, I set up the pod to draw a straight line between accelerating in your career with constant learning, so today we have a critical lesson to share. How to be a confident ally is rarely tackled, despite universal support for a more inclusive sector, yet what we can ALL do to improve this is too often throttled by fear. In the first of the two-part ‘DE...

So welcome back to another Espresso episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate. I'm your host Nick Carman and today I get to revisit one of our most popular episodes of all time. Amelia Bright, Executive Director of the London Estate for Grosvenor. At the time of recording in 2020, Amelia had built a career of 13 years with the same employer, working in London and San Francisco. So how would s...

In this episode of 'Accelerating Careers in Real Estate,' I interview Emily Hamilton, the Chief Sustainability Officer for Savills's Investment Management. Emily shares her inspiring journey from an early passion for nature to leading sustainability initiatives in the real estate investment sector. She discusses her transformative experience volunteering in Ecuador, her early career steps, signifi...

In this espresso edition, recorded in Autumn 2020, I get to revisit my conversation with Matt Townend, to discuss his impressive career spanning nearly two decades with major London developers. Townend shares candid reflections on early set-backs, professional growth, dealing with stress, and the importance of balance in life. Highlights include his impactful tenure at Battersea Power Station and...

In this episode of 'Accelerating Careers in Real Estate,' I sit down with John Forrester, the Chair of Innovo Real Estate Development and former group CEO of Cushman & Wakefield, once described as a fire axe placed behind the emergency glass. John shares his humble beginnings, initially wanting to become a vet but ultimately finding his way into real estate after working as an estate agent. He...

Jan Trbizan: From Ljubljana to London's Super Prime Real Estate In this episode, I recap my conversation with Jan Trbizan from 2020. At the time, Jan was the Technical and Design Director for Northacre, a brand synonymous with London's super prime properties. Jan's journey began in Ljubljana, Slovenia, with aspirations of becoming a surgeon before pivoting to architecture. He navigated through the...

Building Affordable Housing: Colm Lacey's Journey in Real Estate In this episode, of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate, I get to sit down with Colm Lacey, Founder and Director of Soft Cities, Chair of London's CLT, and Group Director of Capital Projects for New City College. Colm discusses his impressive career in housing and regeneration, sharing insights from his time at Brick by Brick, Lambet...

In this episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate, I got to revisit, an interview from autumn 2020 with Caroline Harper, then Chief Planning Director for Be First. Caroline shares her unique path into real estate, driven by academia and a PhD, and discusses the personal traits that set her apart. She recounts her transition from private sector roles at CBRE and Jones Lang LaSalle to the publi...

The Power of Saying Yes: Honor Barratt, CEO Birchgrove on Career Transformation and Innovation in Real Estate In this episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate, I am joined by Honor Barratt, Chief Executive of Birchgrove. Honor shares her journey from working at McDonald's at 15, to selling timeshares, and a successful executive career in media before being approached to disrupt the later liv...

In my latest ESPRESSO edition, I revisit my episode with Will Bax, who was then CEO of Retirement Villages Group, recorded in autumn 2020. Will shares his unique career journey, from leaving politics to making significant strides in the real estate sector, culminating in a leadership role overseeing a £5 billion London portfolio. Will discusses the importance of adaptability, resilience, and learn...

In this episode of 'Accelerating Careers in Real Estate,' I, have the pleasure of interviewing Rob Heasman, who takes us through his fascinating journey in the real estate world. From the early influences of his family to impactful roles in major property development firms, Rob's story is both inspiring and educational. He starts with his work experiences during his teens and meticulously moves th...

In my latest ESPRESSO edition, I got to revisit my conversation with Gary McCluskey from 2020, he is the Managing Director, Global Design for Greystar, an architect for 25 years, his past catalogue as Strategic Design Advisor has covered nearly $5 billion worth of GDV. Gary shares a story filled with adventures in design and architecture across the living sector and his intense passion and inquisi...

This evening I am joined by Jai Patel, Managing Director and Co-Head of Real Estate Debt for ICG. Jai shares his journey from a curious student to a key player in the real estate debt sector, providing valuable lessons and strategies for career growth in the industry. His career has traversed Lehman Brothers, Barclays, Amro Partners in debt, equity in UK and European Real Estate. Jai Patel's journ...

So welcome back to another episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate ESPRESSO series. Back in the autumn of 2020 I got to sit down with James Pellatt who at the time of talking was Innovation Director for one of London's largest commercial landlords Great Portland Estates, a title he had carved out based on what he had learnt and thought he could better contribute following a career as the pr...

In this episode, Nick Carman is joined by Derek Williams, Managing Director for Investor Relations at the Valesco Group. He has raised and deployed (either as a principal or advisor) circa $8 billion of capital over his career to date, which has been invested across real estate and private market strategies in Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. Derek shares his journey from his early days...

Accelerating Careers in Real Estate: Neil Young's Journey with Nick Carman In this ESPRESSO episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate, host Nick Carman revisits his conversation with Neil Young from 2020, one of the pioneering figures in the UK's multifamily sector. Neil recounts his early career moves, the inception of Young London, and the establishment of the £2 billion REIT, Get Living. F...

This evening I sat down with Martyn Evans, Creative Director for LandSec U&I. Martyn has travelled the path least travelled hailing from a marketing background in high street retail. Martin recounts his inspiring journey from his beginnings working in retail in Cardiff to becoming a prominent figure in the real estate industry. He shares his experiences working with notable figures like Anita...

In this ESPRESSO edition of my conversation with Charlie Walsh from 2020 I get to interview Charlie Walsh, a leader with a global reputation in luxury residential sales. Charlie opens up about his career evolution, his time in the Middle East, and how he approaches risks and challenges. This episode provides valuable insights into the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and the critical...

This evening I am joined by Lucinda Mitchell, Investment Director for Legal General Capital, L&G's alternative asset origination arm. Lucinda's responsibility is working across direct development through to sitting on the board of their JV partners, Bruntwood Scitech. She's built her career in major regeneration development, spending 11 years with the regeneration specialist, Socious. We talk...