People Property Place

Matthew Watts
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Interviewing the leaders shaping the real estate investment management industry. Hosted by Matthew Watts, Founder of Rockbourne. The central intention of this podcast is to share the stories, views, opinions, and career journeys of the movers, shakers, innovators, and leaders in the real estate investment management industry. Whether you are an existing real estate professional, aspiring to break into the space, or just want to know more about this fascinating sector this podcast is for you. New episodes of The People Property Place Podcast will be released regularly and you will be able to find them for free on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or any App that supports podcasts. Oh, and one last thing - in every episode, I will be asking each guest who are the People, what Property, and which Place they would be looking to invest, should they have £500m at their disposal. www.rockbourne.com

  1. Andrew Hynard, Senior Advisor & Non Executive Director - The UK Property Market Is at an Inflection Point

    3D AGO

    Andrew Hynard, Senior Advisor & Non Executive Director - The UK Property Market Is at an Inflection Point

    This week, I sat down with Andrew Hynard to unpack a corporate career that spans more than three decades at JLL, the chief executive leadership of one of London's most prestigious estates, and a post-executive chapter advising some of the most interesting property businesses in the UK. Andrew spent the majority of his career at JLL focused on Capital Markets, ultimately becoming Deputy Chairman of the UK business. He later became Chief Executive of The Howard de Walden Estate, overseeing 90 acres in Marylebone with a portfolio heavily weighted toward private healthcare in and around Harley Street. Today, he advises businesses including Clipstone Investment Management, Howard Group, Orega, Taurus Developments and Love Ventures, a VC investor in early stage technology companies   In this conversation, Andrew reflects on growing up as the son of a surveyor in Hastings and deciding at just ten years old that property would be his path. We explore his early decision to specialise in investment rather than rotate through departments, and why he later regretted not gaining broader technical grounding despite accelerating his capital markets career. We go deep into his time at JLL, including the cultural and strategic forces behind the merger with King Sturge, how he navigated internal politics without burning bridges, and why playing the long game and treating people with decency became his defining leadership philosophy. Andrew also shares the transition from advisory to client side when he became CEO of Howard de Walden, what it really means to run a £3–4 billion estate in one of London's most complex submarkets, and why attracting world class healthcare operators like Cleveland Clinic was a defining moment. We then turn to today's market. Andrew gives a candid view on the state of UK real estate, the leadership reset across major advisory firms, where growth is actually coming from, why income will dominate returns for the foreseeable future, and why he believes we are approaching an inflection point rather than a falling knife moment. Finally, we explore his portfolio of advisory roles, his work in venture capital, and why mentoring the next generation is one of the most important investments he now makes.   Key Topics Covered in This Episode ✅ From Hastings to Deputy Chairman How Andrew set his sights on property at age ten and built a 30+ year capital markets career. ✅ The King Sturge Merger The first conversation that led to one of the most significant UK advisory mergers of the past two decades. ✅ Advisory vs Client Side What changes when you move from broker to principal and how to make that transition successfully. ✅ Leading the Howard de Walden Estate Healthcare, tenant mix strategy, stakeholder management and long term estate stewardship. ✅ The State of the UK Market Flat growth, tentative optimism, income driven returns and why 2025 could be a turning point. ✅ Leadership Change Across UK Agencies Why so many CEOs have changed and what the next generation must get right. ✅ Building a Post Executive Portfolio Advisory roles, venture capital, mentoring and giving back to the industry. And of course, I asked Andrew the big question: Who are the People, what Property, and which Place would you invest in if you had £500 million to deploy? If you have thoughts or questions about this episode, drop them in the comments. I'd love to hear your take. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers. 🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE 👉 http://peoplepropertyplace.com/

    49 min
  2. Pavel Streblov, Managing Director and Board Member at Penta Real Estate – Why Penta Is Buying Into London at the Bottom

    FEB 9

    Pavel Streblov, Managing Director and Board Member at Penta Real Estate – Why Penta Is Buying Into London at the Bottom

    This week, I sat down with Pavel Streblov to unpack how one of Central Europe's most established private real estate groups is entering the UK market, why London still matters, and what it really takes to build and deliver at scale as a developer in today's environment. Pavel is Business Director at Penta Real Estate, a privately owned investment group founded by five university classmates, with major interests spanning healthcare, banking, media, and large scale urban real estate. Pavel leads Penta's UK platform and is responsible for its expansion into London, bringing institutional capital, long term thinking, and a developer led mindset into a market facing structural supply constraints. In this conversation, Pavel explains why Penta chose to expand beyond its home markets in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, how the group reached scale domestically, and why development requires a fundamentally different approach to buying standing assets. We explore why building a credible pipeline matters more than one off success, and how local knowledge, council dynamics, and delivery track record determine whether a developer is taken seriously. We discuss Penta's first major UK move, a joint venture with Ballymore across two residential schemes totalling around 700 homes and approximately £700 million of development value. Pavel shares how Penta thinks about quality, amenity, and long term ownership, and why entering the market at the bottom of the cycle can create asymmetric opportunity when supply is constrained. The conversation also goes deep on the UK market itself. Pavel offers a blunt comparison between the UK and the Czech Republic, explaining how stamp duty, transaction costs, and mortgage pricing actively discourage ownership and push local buyers into renting. We unpack Gateway 2, viability pressure, delivery delays, and why flexibility and speed of decision making have become critical advantages in a market full of stalled and so called zombie projects. We close by looking ahead. Pavel explains how Penta is already using AI in early stage design and option testing, and why being a developer ultimately requires optimism. If you fully price every risk, nothing ever gets built.   Key Topics Covered in This Episode   ✅ Why Penta Chose the UK How scale limits in home markets pushed Penta to expand and why London stood out. ✅ Development Versus Standing Assets Why development is a long term commitment that requires local conviction and pipeline depth. ✅ The Ballymore Joint Venture 700 homes, £700m of value, and why scale matters from day one. ✅ Ownership, Stamp Duty and Market Friction Why UK tax structures discourage buying and reshape demand dynamics. ✅ Gateway 2 and Viability Pressure How regulation and delays are constraining supply and reshaping opportunity. ✅ Zombie Projects and Flexible Capital Why creativity, speed, and structure now unlock returns. ✅ AI and the Developer Mindset How technology supports decision making and why optimism still matters.   And of course, I asked Pavel the big question: Who are the People, what Property, and which Place would you invest in if you had £500 million to deploy? If you have thoughts or questions about this episode, drop them in the comments. I'd love to hear your take. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers.   🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE 👉 http://peoplepropertyplace.com/

    52 min
  3. Dr. Kate Jarvis, CEO Of Fifth Dimension - Why AI Native Firms Will Win in Real Estate

    FEB 2

    Dr. Kate Jarvis, CEO Of Fifth Dimension - Why AI Native Firms Will Win in Real Estate

    This week, I sat down with Dr. Kate Jarvis to unpack a journey that spans childhood instability, academic rigour, early machine learning, and the building of an AI native platform designed to fundamentally change how real asset decisions are made. Kate is CEO and co founder of Fifth Dimension, a technology company powering decision making across real assets, underwriting, asset management and portfolio strategy for some of the world's largest real estate and investment organisations. With a PhD from Stanford and more than fifteen years building machine learning backed businesses across the US, UK and Europe, Kate sits at the intersection of deep technical expertise and real world operational experience. In this conversation, Kate shares how growing up with her family home repossessed at a young age shaped her relationship with risk, security and institutions, and why those early experiences still influence how she builds businesses today. We explore her path through linguistics and early AI research, long before machine learning became mainstream, and how understanding language, prediction and inference laid the foundations for her later work in real assets. We discuss how Kate entered real estate through shared ownership and institutional capital deployment, where she encountered the reality of manual underwriting, endless spreadsheets, PDFs and investment committee drag. That frustration became the catalyst for Fifth Dimension. Kate explains why most AI tools fail in regulated, high stakes environments, why auditability matters more than automation, and how Fifth Dimension works alongside investment teams to amplify judgement rather than replace it. The conversation also looks ahead to what it really means to be AI native, who wins over the next decade, and why smaller, smarter teams may soon outperform incumbents with scale alone. Key Topics Covered in This Episode ✅ From Instability to Resilience How early life experiences shaped Kate's approach to risk, ambition and long term thinking. ✅ From Linguistics to Machine Learning Why language, prediction and inference sit at the heart of modern AI and real asset decision making. ✅ Why Real Estate Underwriting Is Broken The operational drag inside institutional real estate and why spreadsheets still dominate billion pound decisions. ✅ Building Fifth Dimension How shared ownership, manual IC processes and frustration with legacy workflows led to an AI native platform. ✅ AI as an Amplifier, Not a Replacement Why human judgement, creativity and context still matter and how AI should support decision makers, not remove them. And of course, I asked Kate the big question: Who are the People, what Property, and which Place would you invest in if you had £500 million to deploy? If you have thoughts or questions about this episode, drop them in the comments. I'd love to hear your take. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers.   🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE 👉 http://peoplepropertyplace.com/

    1h 9m
  4. Ian Rickwood, Chairman of Henley - The Hard Lessons Behind Long Term Real Estate Success

    JAN 26

    Ian Rickwood, Chairman of Henley - The Hard Lessons Behind Long Term Real Estate Success

    This week, I sat down with Ian Rickwood to unpack a career that spans entrepreneurship, private equity, consumer businesses, failed exits, market downturns, and ultimately the building of a long term real estate investment and capital platform. Ian is Founder and Chairman of Henley, a fast growing private equity real estate investment and venture capital business operating across the UK, Europe and the US. Over the last two decades, Henley has invested across residential, industrial, social and supported housing, urban regeneration and large scale development, working with institutional capital, high net worth investors and operating partners. In this conversation, Ian shares how early years in FMCG and entrepreneurial ventures laid the foundations for his approach to risk and execution, why scaling consumer businesses taught him lessons that many investors only learn later, and how navigating both successful exits and painful failures shaped his long term mindset. We discuss what it really feels like when a deal does not work, why some businesses are structurally broken regardless of management quality, and how those experiences directly influenced Ian's transition into real estate and private capital. Ian also explains how Henley was formed out of operational experience rather than financial engineering, why long dated and complex projects can offer an edge, and how the firm thinks about platform building, partnerships and capital alignment. We explore social and supported housing, urban regeneration at scale, the challenges of deploying capital through cycles, and why conviction becomes more important as markets tighten. The conversation also touches on US expansion, joint venture models, and what experienced operators look for when backing people rather than just projects.   Key Topics Covered in This Episode ✅ From Operator to Investor How early entrepreneurial and operating experience shaped Ian's approach to capital, risk and decision making. ✅ When Exits Do Not Go to Plan Why some businesses fail despite strong management and what those lessons teach long term investors. ✅ Building Henley Through Cycles How private equity thinking, real estate fundamentals and operational discipline came together. ✅ Complexity as a Competitive Advantage Why long dated, operationally intensive and misunderstood assets can outperform. ✅ Capital, Partnerships and Conviction How Henley approaches joint ventures, institutional capital and platform growth across markets. And of course, I asked Ian the big question: Who are the People, what Property, and which Place would you invest in if you had £500 million to deploy? If you have thoughts or questions about this episode, drop them in the comments. I'd love to hear your take. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers. 🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE 👉 http://peoplepropertyplace.com/

    1 hr
  5. Niall Farmer, Head of UK Gamuda Land – How Global Capital Really Chooses UK Property Partners

    JAN 19

    Niall Farmer, Head of UK Gamuda Land – How Global Capital Really Chooses UK Property Partners

    This week, I sat down with Niall Farmer to unpack an unconventional real estate career that spans retail property, residential development, masterplanning, construction, and now leading the UK platform for one of Asia's most powerful real estate and infrastructure groups. Niall is Head of UK at Gamuda Land, part of the Gamuda Group, a global infrastructure and property developer with operations across Asia, Australia and Europe. Gamuda Land has delivered tens of thousands of homes globally and is now deploying significant balance sheet capital into the UK across offices, student housing, residential and large scale mixed use developments. In this conversation, Niall shares how graduating into the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis shaped his early career, why a detour into client side retail property proved unexpectedly formative, and how a mix of construction exposure, development experience and relationship building created the platform for his later moves. We discuss the pressure and perspective that comes from stepping into a family construction business during some of the toughest market conditions in recent memory, and how that experience changed his approach to risk, leadership and decision making. Niall also explains how Gamuda Land entered the UK, what global capital really looks for when choosing local partners, and why being an "active" investor matters when deploying capital into unfamiliar markets. We explore how investment rulebooks are written, when they get broken, and what happens when conviction is tested on projects that sit well outside the original plan. The conversation touches on one of the most closely watched developments in the City of London, how large scale schemes are underwritten today, and what global investors are really trying to solve for when backing UK real estate. Key Topics Covered in This Episode ✅ From GFC Graduate to Global Developer How early career setbacks, unexpected roles and timing shaped Niall's long term trajectory in real estate. ✅ Retail, Residential and Construction Why working across asset management, development and construction created a broader decision making toolkit. ✅ Inside a Global Capital Mindset How foreign balance sheet capital approaches UK real estate, partnerships and risk differently. ✅ When Investment Rulebooks Break Why some opportunities force investors to step outside their stated strategy and how conviction is tested at scale. ✅ Building a UK Platform for Gamuda Land How trust, culture and local knowledge underpin long term capital deployment in unfamiliar markets. And of course, I asked Niall the big question: Who are the People, what Property, and which Place would you invest in if you had £500 million to deploy? If you have thoughts or questions about this episode, drop them in the comments. I'd love to hear your take. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers. 🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE 👉 http://peoplepropertyplace.com/

    1h 7m
  6. Nick Leslau, Chairman and Founder, Prestbury Group – Why Capital Is Turning Away From Britain

    JAN 12

    Nick Leslau, Chairman and Founder, Prestbury Group – Why Capital Is Turning Away From Britain

    In this episode of the People Property Place podcast, Nick Leslau, a real estate investing legend who has built and backed some of the most influential UK property vehicles of the last few decades, shares what really matters when markets turn and leverage starts to bite. Drawing on a career spanning Prestbury, listed platforms, major exits, and multiple cycles, Nick explains why credit, not property, has always been the real risk. He reflects on early lessons from the securitisation era, the danger signals he watches in bank behaviour and loan to value ratios, and why every property crash ultimately traces back to the same place, too much debt in the system. The conversation also explores what it takes to make decisions at scale over decades. Nick speaks candidly about insecurity, judgement, and why he has never believed success comes from being the smartest person in the room. Instead, he credits long term performance to surrounding yourself with sharper minds, staying wary of your own conviction, and keeping discipline when others chase narratives. A clear, experience led discussion on risk, capital allocation, and how People, Property and Place intersect inside real estate investing. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers. 🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE 👉 http://peoplepropertyplace.com/

    2h 9m
  7. Harm Meijer, Founding Partner, ICAMAP – Why Private Equity Is Buying Listed Real Estate

    JAN 5

    Harm Meijer, Founding Partner, ICAMAP – Why Private Equity Is Buying Listed Real Estate

    In this episode of the People Property Place podcast, Harm Meijer draws on decades of experience across listed real estate and capital markets to unpack how cycles really play out when sentiment turns and leverage starts to bite. From his early career on the sell side to building ICAMAP, Harm explains why investors repeatedly misjudge market turning points, how incentives inside listed vehicles quietly shape long term outcomes, and why management alignment often matters more than the assets themselves. He reflects on the lessons learned during the Global Financial Crisis, the risks of catching falling knives, and the discipline required before capital is redeployed. The conversation also explores why listed real estate remains structurally misunderstood today, how private equity is exploiting inefficiencies in public markets, and what most investors get wrong about liquidity, exits, and governance. Harm shares how these insights influence ICAMAP's approach across strategies, and why conviction must be grounded in fundamentals rather than narratives. A clear, experience led discussion on risk, capital allocation, and how People, Property and Place intersect inside real estate investing. Real Estate Rules: The Investor's Guide to Picking Winners and Avoiding Losers in Listed Property - Amazon Link The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers. 🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE 👉 http://peoplepropertyplace.com/

    1h 10m
  8. Martin Towns, Global Head of Real Estate – The Playbook Behind M&G's $50bn Global Real Estate Business

    12/29/2025

    Martin Towns, Global Head of Real Estate – The Playbook Behind M&G's $50bn Global Real Estate Business

    This week, I sat down with Martin Towns to unpack a career built across brokerage, private equity, institutional fund management, and now global leadership, and what it takes to scale a real estate investment platform across multiple cycles and geographies. Martin is Global Head of Real Estate at M&G, responsible for the strategic direction and growth of a real estate business managing approximately $50bn of assets across 26 countries in Europe, Asia and North America. He has more than 20 years' experience in real estate investment management, including 15 years at M&G, and previously held roles at Close Brothers Investment Bank and Jones Lang LaSalle. In this conversation, Martin shares how growing up in rural Scotland led him into Land Economy, why his early years at JLL and Close Brothers shaped his understanding of risk and cycles, and how living through the Global Financial Crisis fundamentally influenced his approach to leverage, structuring and downside protection. We discuss why he joined M&G when the platform was still UK focused and internally funded, and how proprietary capital was used to seed strategies that later scaled into global third party businesses. Martin explains the evolution of M&G's residential and living platforms, the creation of its Capital Solutions business for large institutional investors, and the strategic thinking behind acquiring value add specialist Beaumont. We also explore investor behaviour across regions, the return of capital to core real estate, how global LP preferences are shifting, and what leadership looks like when you move from doing deals to setting strategy at scale. Key Topics Covered in This Episode ✅ From Rural Scotland to Global Real Estate Leadership How Martin's early career choices and formative experiences shaped his long term investment philosophy. ✅ Lessons from the GFC Why understanding cycles, leverage and macro risk remains critical for institutional real estate investors. ✅ Building a Global Platform at M&G How internal life assurance capital helped seed strategies that later scaled into multi billion pound global funds. ✅ Living, Capital Solutions and Value Add Why residential and living assets became institutionalised and how bespoke mandates and co investment changed M&G's growth trajectory. ✅ Acquiring Beaumont The rationale behind adding value add capability and how to integrate specialist teams without destroying culture or performance. And of course, I asked Martin the big question: Who are the People, what Property, and which Place would you invest in if you had £500 million to deploy? If you have thoughts or questions about this episode, drop them in the comments. I'd love to hear your take. The People Property Place Podcast is powered by Rockbourne, recruiting leadership talent for real estate funds, owners, investors, and developers. 🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE 👉 http://peoplepropertyplace.com/

    58 min
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About

Interviewing the leaders shaping the real estate investment management industry. Hosted by Matthew Watts, Founder of Rockbourne. The central intention of this podcast is to share the stories, views, opinions, and career journeys of the movers, shakers, innovators, and leaders in the real estate investment management industry. Whether you are an existing real estate professional, aspiring to break into the space, or just want to know more about this fascinating sector this podcast is for you. New episodes of The People Property Place Podcast will be released regularly and you will be able to find them for free on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or any App that supports podcasts. Oh, and one last thing - in every episode, I will be asking each guest who are the People, what Property, and which Place they would be looking to invest, should they have £500m at their disposal. www.rockbourne.com

Information

  • Creator
    Matthew Watts
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    165
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2022
  • Show Website
    People Property Place

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