Fisher German Talks

Recent government policies, such as the development of local nature recovery strategies and the introduction of biodiversity net gain, have put sustainability high on the priority list in the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, with a reduction in government subsidies, increasing pressure financially, and stretched supply chains, landowners and farmers are looking at new ways to improve their profit margins. It’s a two-handed approach; juggling sustainable practices with cost-efficiencies. From business efficiency measures to diversification, sustainable farming techniques are changing. As the industry moves towards a net-zero emission goal, the integration of sustainable principles in residential and rural property development is becoming the new norm.
 
Joining host David Kinnersley, Partner and Head of Agribusiness at Fisher German, on this episode is Anna Woodley from Trinity Agtech. Anna is Managing Director of Business Development at Trinity, and she explains how their industry-leading software Sandy is helping to boost profitability and sustainability in agriculture. Farmers are utilising Sandy’s advanced software to make better decisions around the use of natural capital - the natural assets underpinning the ecosystem like soil, air, water, or animals. These technologies enable farmers to model scenarios, analyse impacts, and optimise their farming operations, making profitable and sustainable decisions easier to achieve. Together they explore the role of natural capital in bolstering business resilience and diversifying income generation.
 
Understanding, measuring, and efficiently managing natural capital presents a real business opportunity for farmers and landowners. Embracing these practices doesn't simply fulfil environmental or policy obligations. Instead, it paves the way for more profitable and resilient farming systems, while delivering positive environmental impacts at the same time.

Despite economic headwinds, demand for industrial space continues up and down the country. In a post-Covid world, the industrial and logistics property market has seen year-on-year growth, contributing to the jobs market and economy as a whole: it provides the infrastructure and space that support businesses, who in turn drive economic growth and foster innovation.
 
Rob Champion, Partner at Fisher German, sits down with Jason Rockett, Managing Director of Potter Space – an owner of industrial spaces and business parks – to explore this world and dive into the most active sector of the commercial property market of recent times. The rise in demand for medium sized spaces (sub-100,000 square foot) is ongoing despite the recent economic turbulence; they represent 95% of the whole I&L property market in England, and account for 56% of the sector’s entire floorspace. 

Jason explains why this is, and examines other trends in the market such as the impact of interest rate rises on the business. With an extensive and varied career (including a stint as a professional footballer), Jason is well-placed to join Rob in explaining the importance of this sector of the property market.

Interest rates are at their highest level for over 15 years, due largely to high inflation which recently has come down slower than anticipated. This has contributed to record low commercial property investment transaction volumes in Q4 2022 and reduced activity so far this year. 
 
Looking ahead, where are transactions continuing to take place? Which sectors remain liquid? Where has pricing strengthened, and most importantly, what are some of the key fundamentals that will continue to drive commercial real estate investment looking forwards?
 
Commercial real estate investment is in part influenced by debt markets. Host, Oliver Deme, Senior Surveyor in the Investment Team at Fisher German, sat down with Greg Manson, Director of OakNorth Bank and specialist in real estate debt finance, to film and record an instalment of the third series of 'Fisher German LLP Talks', delving into the above, and much more. 
 
Together Ollie and Greg give us insights into the real estate market and explore the challenges and opportunities for commercial investment in the months and years to come.

The latest government data shows that England has close to 250,000 ‘long-term empty’ homes. It's an opportunity that's certainly caught the attention of entrepreneurs and aspiring developers, who have the time and dedication, to invest in restoring and renovating such properties.

On today’s podcast Ellie Lockwood, Senior Associate at Fisher German, is joined by Lucy and Dan Nash, self-proclaimed “property obsessed” developers who spearheaded the award-winning Victoria Road Restoration. Victoria Road is a massive renovation project in which a dilapidated Victorian-era house originally valued at £415,000, has now doubled its original value.

Lucy and Dan share their story, and give key insights into the renovation process and their experience within interior design. Alongside the Fisher German New Homes team, they explore the opportunities that lie within property renovation.

For more information visit www.fishergerman.co.uk/services/agency/new-homes

Modern life revolves around minerals. We need them to to make vehicles, mobile phones, batteries, wind turbines, medical devices – the list goes on. Without the resource to power and build this technology, industries would grind to a halt. As our tech keeps advancing, so does our reliance on the mineral industry. Because of this the growth and maintenance of the industry is more essential than ever before.
 
One of the biggest reasons for market growth and acceleration of demand is the energy transition. By 2040 the world is expected to need four times as many critical minerals for clean energy technology as it does today. Should we be worried about future mineral supply? How can we mine sustainably?
 
Today, Fisher German talks minerals. Tom Giddings, Associate Partner, and Ben Minns, Chartered Surveyor, are joined by Kirsten Cunningham, Estates Manager at Aggregate Industries, a leading building materials supplier.
 
What is the current state of the minerals industry in the UK today? How vulnerable is the market to geopolitical events? And what role will decarbonisation have on the industry?

The property sector is evolving faster than ever. Fresh growth cycles, new software, innovative technology and, most recently, the post-pandemic shift to working from home and rural residences living have given birth to the rise of the increasingly popular online property auction. Online auctions are a relatively new concept, but they offer a transparent, safe and fast way of selling a property.
 
We’re delighted to kick off our 3rd series of the podcast with an in-depth look at this emerging sector. Tom Dennes is Associate Partner and Head of Auctions at Fisher German. He’s joined by Robin Rathore, Founder and CEO of Bamboo Auctions – one of the leading online auction marketplaces.
Robin explains how he identified a market need for quick, reliable property sales and developed his platform to solve the problem. What are the benefits of an online auction compared to a traditional one? Are online auctions just for vacant or abandoned properties? What does the future of auctions look like?
 
Join us as Fisher German Talks online auctions.

The COVID pandemic fundamentally changed the face of the modern workplace. For the first time in our lifetime offices were forced to close, and many companies had to act swiftly to adopt alternative working methods if they wanted to stay productive.
 
With most workers trapped at home, working from kitchen tables and living room sofas, the strengths of a workplace were thrown into sharp relief. The sense of community, collaborative working and creativity were all but put on hold. On the other hand, the pandemic highlighted many of the shortcomings and the outdated attitudes surrounding our typical way of working. Increased flexibility and work/life balance were a huge attraction to new talent.
 
Since that time, many industries have adjusted to a more modern way of working, and in this episode of Fisher German Talks, we’re focused on just that!. Today we’ll be taking a deep look into the face of the modern workplace, the role of ‘the office’, how hybrid working is becoming the new expected norm and what this means going forward.

On the podcast today, and our final episode for series 2, David Laws, a partner at Matthews & Goodman, is joined by Atul Bansal – founder of The Sheila Bird Studio. Sheila Bird aims to help businesses relocate and re-brand their image.

As we near the end of the year we’re also nearing the end of the series: the second series of Fisher German Talks. Across the last 5 episodes we’ve explored so many areas of the business, from communications to rural diversification to planning.
 
In this episode we look back on some of the best bits from the series, featuring:
 
Richard Gadd from the National Country Agency Team, discussing the rural property market
Rachel Bridge looking at HyNet’s hydrogen pipeline with Helen Boyle of Cadent
Chris May, solicitor at Percival Howes, examining the housing crisis and planning with James Beverley
Ruth Ofield, talking about life as a grad in the industry and sharing some tips for forging a career with Jack Dutton and Olivia Yates
James Thompson looking at rural diversification with Anna Collins and Joanne Lampkowski
 
Expect analysis and discussion about the biggest talking points of the year across the industry.
Thank you for listening to the podcast across our first 2 series, we hope you’ve enjoyed the insights.

For farmers, diversifying their income by moving away from traditional farming helps to reduce business risk and maximise returns. Land or roof space can be used for renewable energy generation, while old sheds can be used for residential or commercial space.
Inflation is creating a huge amount of risk for farming, and rural businesses. Diversification is a way to offset that risk. Traditionally, one of the key barriers to entry into new enterprises is accessibility to funds.

On the podcast today: James Thompson, Surveyor at Fisher German, hosts a discussion with Anna Collins, Partner at Fisher German, and Joanne Lampkowski, Regional Agricultural Manager at AMC, to analyse how these barriers can be overcome, why it’s so important to diversify, how the focus on sustainability can help landowners, and identify the methods for financing and planning. They look at the societal trends that influence diversification and detail the advice that landowners should seek before undertaking this life-changing decision.

After leaving university, figuring out where to go next can seem daunting. In a post-Covid workplace that’s grappling with constant changes and a cost-of-living crisis, the job market can be a particularly tough place to navigate.
In this episode of Fisher German Talks, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the opportunities for graduates both here at Fisher German, but also in the wider surveying industry. We’ll dispel the myths, give you a clear understanding of why surveying is such an exciting career path and offer some top tips on breaking into, and making it within, the industry. Surveying is an exciting career to choose, but what can you expect along the journey?
 
Host Ruth Ofield, Partner and Head of Graduate Recruitment at Fisher German, is joined by recent graduate Jack Dutton, and Associate Olivia Yates, to discuss their own personal career paths and how you can stand out from the crowd when applying to your first surveying job. Ruth recently won the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors ‘Mentor of the Year Award’, a fantastic achievement, and in her 12 years in the industry has helped graduates launch their careers and thrive in the fast-paced and dynamic world of surveying.

For more information, and how to apply for the Fisher German grad programme, visit fishergerman.co.uk/careers/earlycareers/graduates