Accelerating Careers in Real Estate

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 in research to his senior roles in investment management with companies like Landsec, Global Student Accommodation, and Rothschild, leading up to his current position at Valesco Group. The conversation covers his career milestones, the challenges he faced, his leadership philosophy, and his continuous quest for learning and growth.

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Key Points:

• Introduction to Derek Williams (00:00:00)
• Nick introduces Derek Williams and provides an overview of his career.
• Early Career and Interest in Real Estate (00:00:32)
• Derek discusses his initial interest in the real estate market during his school days in the 1980s.
• Learning from Mentors (00:03:16)
• Derek reflects on the values and professionalism he learned from his early mentors.
• Transition to Investment Management (00:04:16)
• Derek explains his move to investment management and his decision to pursue a master's degree at Cass Business School.
• Joining IPD and Early Management Experience (00:06:42)
• Derek discusses his role at IPD, managing a team, and the challenges he faced in his early management days.
• Role at Land Securities (00:09:13)
• Derek talks about his transition to Land Securities, working with Francis Solway, and the lessons he learned during this period.
• Expanding Horizons to Global Markets (00:14:00)
• Derek shares his desire to globalize his experience and his subsequent move to Russell Investments.
• Experiences at Russell Investments (00:16:00)
• Derek discusses launching global REIT products, his mentors, and his leadership experiences in the US.
• Entrepreneurial Ventures (00:21:00)
• Derek talks about reconnecting with his entrepreneurial spirit and his roles at B Finance and Global Student Accommodation.
• Current Role at Valesco Group (00:28:27)
• Derek describes his current role at Valesco Group, the company's unique approach, and his focus on growth and team spirit.
• Personal Reflections on Success (00:30:11)
• Derek shares his thoughts on success, the importance of learning, and maintaining personal relationships in his career.

Conclusion: Derek Williams shares valuable insights into his career journey, highlighting the importance of continuous learning, mentorship, and taking calculated risks. His experiences offer a blueprint for aspiring real estate professionals looking to accelerate their careers.

Sponsor: This podcast is brought to you by MacDonald and Company, the global real estate recruiter. Don't forget to click follow and leave a rating to ensure you never miss an episode.

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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. From his initial roles in hospitality and finance to his visionary step into real estate, Neil shares valuable insights and lessons learned from his journey.

"I remember we took on some service officers in Euston, which had about 70 desks. I remember going in there on the first day. And, um, sat in the corner with four of us and looked and there was no one else there."

00:00 Introduction

00:58 Early Career

03:29 Starting Young London

05:58 Building Get Living

09:29 Reflections and Future Trends

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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 Roddick of The Body Shop and subsequent rise in the property development sector, focusing on regeneration projects. Martin discusses the importance of having a moral compass in business, the challenges and successes of working on complex real estate projects, and his continuous drive to inspire and lead effectively, even within a large corporate setting. This conversation highlights the value of creativity, resilience, and ethical practices in building a successful and impactful career.

"Martin is always up for changing the world. You never hear him say, that will do. And that is so infectious and people join in because they believe they can move mountains"

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

00:35 Early Life and Career Beginnings

01:22 University and Early Career Experiences

02:55 Working with Anita Roddick and The Body Shop

04:48 Transition to Property Development

05:57 Joining Cathedral Group and Career Growth

09:20 Challenges and Successes in Real Estate

14:07 Reflections on Leadership and Learning

17:13 Joining Landsec and Current Role

23:43 Personal Reflections and Future Outlook

35:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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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 support of loved ones in achieving career success. At the time of the recording Charlie was the Director for Sales for Lodha UK.

 Introduction

 Starting a Career in Real Estate

 Key Lesson: Choose a Tangible Industry

 Experience in the Middle East

 Key Lesson: Embrace Market Fluctuations

 Handling Risks and Setbacks

 Key Lesson: Continuous Challenge

 Source of Optimism

 Key Lesson: Seek External Perspectives

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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 about career development, continuous development, the benefit of a plan and the power of silence to get your point across.

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Here are the key messages from this episode:

1. **Career Journey and Development**: Lucinda Mitchell's career began unexpectedly in real estate while temping at a development site, which sparked her interest in the industry. She emphasizes the importance of discovering and exploring different career paths.

2. **Importance of Networking and Relationships**: Lucinda stresses that real estate is a people-focused career. Building relationships and networking are crucial for career success in this field.

3. **Embracing Challenges**: Lucinda conveys how taking on projects with planning challenges and working through them with communities can lead to significant professional satisfaction and success.

4. **Continuous Learning and Growth**: Throughout her career, Lucinda highlights the significance of continually learning, whether through hands-on experience or further education such as her master’s degree in real estate.

5. **Strategic Career Moves**: The transition from First Base to Legal & General Capital was a strategic decision for Lucinda, aimed at broadening her experience to encompass corporate-level roles and responsibilities.

6. **Adapting Communication Styles**: Lucinda advises that being authentic and adapting one’s communication style to different audiences is key. She suggests using silence effectively and ensuring contributions add value to conversations.

7. **Mentorship and Support**: Lucinda underscores the importance of mentorship and seeking guidance from others to navigate career paths and overcome challenges.

8. **Work-Life Balance**: Lucinda acknowledges that career progression can have periods of acceleration and plateauing. She stresses the importance of giving oneself grace during different life phases, such as raising young children.

9. **Future Goals and Lifelong Learning**: Lucinda plans to continue developing her expertise in real estate while gaining more corporate finance knowledge to grow her career further.

10. **Redefining Success**: Over time, Lucinda’s definition of success has shifted from solely job titles to encompassing the breadth of experiences and personal growth throughout her career.

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This latest espresso episode is a condensed version of my conversation with Jonathan Beswick, co-founder of Adventuring Architecture, a polar explorer, and an architect. Discover insights, challenges, and lessons shared by Jon throughout his career and expeditions.

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Introduction

You're listening to Accelerating Careers in Real Estate with Nick Carman, brought to you by MacDonald Co. So in this episode, I once more dial the clock back to the summer of 2020. Time to prep that espresso or put the kettle on. With John Beswick, I get an episode unlike I had recorded before. Or since....

A Mad Idea to Africa

It started on a mad idea. We spent nine months driving down the West coast of Africa, crossed 33 countries, 33, 000 kilometers....

Formation of the Company

We found we'd met enough mining companies and expats and despots and everyone else that all promised us work that, uh, we started our own company as soon as we got back to London....

Lessons Learned and Business Growth

I think one of the lessons learned on these expeditions is to keep things simple. So I think in terms of my career aspirations, I'm not going to set out a career over the next 20 years and try and stick to it....

Setting Objectives and Resilience

setting yourself up. You set yourself an objective, you train, you plan, and then you, you know, whatever happens, you have to make that objective....

Overcoming Challenges with a Team

none of these have been done alone. They've all been done. Whether you see it or not, there's always a team involved, whether it's the team that you're doing it with or there's a team in the background....

World's Highest Dinner Party

a Guinness World Record holder for the highest black tie dinner party on Mount Everest at just over 7, 000 meters....

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This evening I'm joined by Victoria Hill, Executive Coach and founder of ProMind. ProMind is a business whose focus is unlocking potential through coaching professionals specifically in the real estate sector. 

Victoria is going to share a toolkit with us all that she's honed as a mentor to programs such as Pathways to Property and Propel, as well as a mentor to members of the PropTech Disruptor Fund, PiLabs.

If you enjoyed this episode please:

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The conversation delves into the importance of self-awareness, identifying career plateaus, and taking proactive steps to accelerate career growth. It emphasizes the value of self-reflection, goal-setting, and aligning actions with personal values for success in professional endeavours.

Importance of Self-Awareness

The conversation delves into the importance of self-awareness, identifying career plateaus, and taking proactive steps to accelerate career growth. It emphasizes the value of self-reflection, goal-setting, and aligning actions with personal values for success in professional endeavours....

Recognizing and Addressing Career Plateaus

The dialogue underscores the significance of recognizing career plateaus and understanding the early warning signs. It discusses ways to self-assess career stages and navigate transitions towards growth and fulfilment....

Strategies for Career Acceleration

Venturing into strategies for career acceleration, the discussion highlights the need for clear goal-setting, self-investment, and continuous self-reflection. It encourages individuals to focus on personal development and aligning actions with long-term career aspirations....

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In our latest series of ESPRESSO episodes, I dive back to my conversations with Brian De'Ath, Director of Sales for Canary Wharf Group in 2020. Brian shares insights on luck, seizing opportunities, and projecting humility in success. Tune in for valuable career advice and inspiration!

"I've always put myself in the place to be lucky, and if that has happened to then cross my path, I've taken it as an opportunity. I think people are all given the same opportunities. Some people just choose not to see them."

If you enjoyed this episode you can hear the full episode using the links here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1xtTzk5vTNalpn19oD7RQk?si=ib6dpKEiSyqxjaiI04vwRQ

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-4-brian-death/id1506496352?i=1000479605464

If you enjoyed this ESPRESSO episode please:

Come and join our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9054319/

Leave a review on the platform of choice

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This evening, I am joined by Geeta Nanda OBE, CEO of Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing. Geeta is the former Chair of the G15 and during her 16 year stewardship of the UK’s 6th largest housing association her accomplishments included the merger of Metropolitan and Thames Valley Housing, she oversaw the launch and sale of the lauded build-to-rent provider Fizzy Living, sits on a series of boards including Redrow preceding their merger with Barratt and navigated a 2,000 person strong business, with 60,000 homes through the numerous economic, political and financial crisis over the last two decades.

Geeta Nanda, OBE, talks about her dynamic career trajectory - from her initial foray into real estate to becoming a chief executive who steered major housing initiatives. The conversation reveals challenges faced, milestones achieved, and Geeta’s philosophy on leadership, innovation, and making impactful decisions.

00:02 Introduction to Accelerating Careers in Real Estate

00:59 The Formative Years: Gita Nader's Journey Begins

03:33 Stepping Stones into Real Estate

06:29 First Challenges and Balancing Act

09:37 Rising Through the Ranks: Leadership and Learning

18:25 Innovating in Housing: The Fizzy Living Success Story

22:53 Leadership Philosophy: Building Teams and Vision

26:02 The Merger of Metropolitan and Thames Valley

33:53 Reflecting on a Pioneering Career and What's Next

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So time to grab that coffee, two more stops on the tube or however else you choose to spend the next 15 minutes as I wind back the clock and revisit my conversation with Morwenna Hall, COO of Related Argent from mid 2020. Morwenna delivered one of the most eye-catching elements of the award-winning Kings Cross scheme Coal Drops Yard with just 12 months development management experience under her belt rising through the ranks in the business to become their COO at the time of our recording. She displays incredible passion for her projects and the physical elements of real estate, yet we get to dig into her drives and measures for success and find someone who is constantly considering how to broaden her horizons and challenges what she thought possible. 

If you enjoyed this episode you can hear the full episode using the links here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4RBmRAaXCfp8NXkFakxlH8?si=sRtIcmtVReOLUw9Qa-C7bg

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-3-morwenna-hall/id1506496352?i=1000477400501

If you enjoyed this ESPRESSO episode please:

Come and join our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9054319/

Leave a review on the platform of choice

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