Martin Towns, Global Head of Real Estate – The Playbook Behind M&G’s £50bn Global Real Estate Business
People Property Place
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...
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Randeesh Sandhu, Co-Founder and CEO – From the Brink of Death to £4BN in Private Credit
People Property Place
This week, I sat down with Randeesh Sandhu to unpack a career that spans investment banking, real estate development, private credit, and public markets, and what it really takes to build a durable lending platform across multiple cycles. Randeesh is Co-Founder and CEO of Precede Capital Partners, founded in 2021 as a portfolio company of TowerBrook Capital Partners. Prior to Precede, he co-founded and led Urban Exposure Plc for nearly two decades, growing it into the UK’s leading residential development financier. Under his leadership, the business deployed more than £1.7bn in development...
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Tom Livelli, Partner at EQT Real Estate – Europe’s Housing Imbalance and the Living Opportunity
People Property Place
Europe’s Housing Imbalance and the Living Opportunity with Tom Livelli, Partner and Head of Living Strategies, Europe at EQT Real Estate This week, I sat down with Tom Livelli to dive into how Europe’s chronic housing undersupply, shifting renter behaviour, and capital rotation are shaping one of the most compelling living strategies in global real estate today.  Tom is a Partner with EQT Real Estate and Head of Living Strategies, Europe, based in Madrid. Before EQT, he helped build Greystar’s South American business from a laptop in a Santiago coffee shop into a billion dollar...
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Simon Wallace, Head of UK Real Estate & Global Co-Head of Research DWS – Strategy, Cycles and Conviction in Real Estate
People Property Place
The Future of European Real Estate: Strategy, Capital, and Structural Change with Simon Wallace, Head of UK Real Estate & Global Co-Head of Research - DWS. This week, I sat down with Simon Wallace to explore how Europe’s real estate landscape is shifting - and what that really means for investors, fund managers, and operators in the next cycle. Simon began his career as an economist before moving into real estate on the eve of the financial crisis. Since then, he has become one of the most influential strategists in the industry, shaping how research informs underwriting, capital...
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Bay Downing, Joint CEO at Downing – How Technology Is Transforming PBSA
People Property Place
Technology, Talent, And The Future Of Purpose Built Living with Bay Downing, Joint CEO of Downing and Co Founder of Aboria Capital. One of the UK’s leading vertically integrated living platforms with 6000 plus operational beds across top university cities. This week, I sat down with Bay Downing to explore how a second generation family business is evolving into a tech enabled, institutionally backed platform shaping the future of student accommodation and urban living. With property in his DNA, Bay has spent the last eight years working across investment, development, operations and...
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Jeffrey Reder, MD at CenterSquare Investment Management – Conviction in the Middle Market
People Property Place
This week, I sat down with Jeffrey Reder to unpack how the US real estate market is evolving, why the middle market is delivering some of the most compelling opportunities today, and what it really takes to outperform through multiple cycles. Jeff began his career in corporate finance at Salomon Brothers in New York before transitioning into direct real estate. Since joining CenterSquare in 2006, he has helped build one of the most respected value-add platforms in the country. Today he serves as Portfolio Manager for the firm’s Value-Added Fund series and leads a nationwide team focused on...
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Simon Martin, Senior Partner, Tristan Capital Partners - Cashflow, Cycles & Europe’s Big Opportunity
People Property Place
The Future of European Real Estate: Capital, Cycles, and Opportunity with Simon Martin, Senior Partner, Chief Investment Strategist & Head of Research - Tristan Capital Partners. €15+ billion AUM leading institutional grade, full-service private equity real estate firm. This week, I sat down with Simon Martin to unpack how Europe’s real estate market is changing and what it means for investors, fund managers, and entrepreneurs today. Simon has helped grow Tristan from a start-up spin-out into a €15 billion manager. For more than twenty years, he has experienced every major market...
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Alistair Smith, Head of Real Estate at Border to Coast – Building a £2bn Pension Property Platform
People Property Place
What does it take to design and deliver a £2 billion real-estate platform serving over a million UK pensioners - while keeping a long-term focus in a short-term world? This week, I sat down with Alistair Smith, Head of Real Estate at Border to Coast Pensions Partnership, to unpack his 30-year career spanning advisory, private-equity, and institutional real estate - and the leadership lessons learned through every market cycle. Alistair’s journey includes senior roles at abrdn, where he led European real-estate investment management, before joining Border to Coast in 2022 to launch its UK...
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Will Rowson, Founder of Newland Capital Partners – Reinventing Through Every Cycle
People Property Place
What does it take to stay relevant through four decades, across every market cycle, and still have the hunger to build something new? This week, I sat down with Will Rowson, Founder of Newland Capital Partners, to unpack his 35-year journey across global real estate — from gritty East London industrial estates to leading Europe’s largest investment platform — and what it really takes to adapt, evolve, and keep learning. Will’s career includes senior roles as EMEA CIO at CBRE Investment Management, Equity Partner at Hodes Weill, and CEO of Global Student Accommodation (GSA), where he...
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Anthony Maxwell-Jones, Founder of Valorem – Building a Real Estate Platform from Scratch
People Property Place
What does it take to walk away from a successful private-equity career and build your own real-estate investment platform from scratch? This week, I sat down with Anthony Maxwell-Jones, Founder & Managing Partner at Valorem Investment Partners, to unpack his journey from the early days at Mercer / Castleforge to founding Valorem - and what he’s learned along the way about timing, risk, and backing yourself. Anthony has quietly built one of the UK’s most interesting boutique investment platforms, deploying over £80 million across offices, student, residential, hotel, and strategic-land...
info_outlineRichard Pearce is the Founder of TCN, a leader in transforming buildings and communities into thriving spaces.
Starting with a £185k loan, he built a business with 30 employees, £8m turnover, and a £120m portfolio. Over 20 years, he has led regeneration projects across the UK, including ventures with the BBC in White City and Bath Council to drive economic growth and job creation.
A pioneer in the Flexible Workspace market, Richard has created a standout brand in the sector. He also founded The Curious Network, a platform connecting SMEs with each other and higher education to foster collaboration and innovation.
Key takeaways from my chat with Richard:
- How he got into real estate & his early career moves
- How he built the foundations & skills to launch his own business – from management, valuation, leasing, investment, asset management and financial literacy
- How he launched TCN with a £185k loan, following a deal celebration meal
- Creating distinctive destinations with an emphasis on provocative branding & community
- How he took on a struggling construction company with 32 employees and successfully restructuring and repositioning it.
- Founding The Curious Network, a digital platform connecting SMEs and higher education, offering instant access to thousands of coworkers and opportunities.
Oh and one last question - who are the People, what Property, and in which Place Richard would invest should she 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 recruits Leadership and future Leadership hires for Real Estate Funds, Owners, Investors, and developers.
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