Tell me about your role
I am the Managing Director at London buying agency, London Central Portfolio, and I have been at the company for over 10 years. We help UK and international clients acquire, renovate, design, let and manage their property in London.
What does a typical day look like for you?
What I love about my role is no day is the same but one day I might be taking a high-net-worth client on a property tour around Central London to source their next property, a guest speaker at a private event or even hopping on a plane to the Middle East, US, or Asia to meet new and exciting contacts.
Tell us about interesting client instructions.
Helping clients find residential property is always interesting, for those either starting their investment journey or finding their forever home.
However to pick one case, a longstanding client of ours was looking for a large parking space in London which came with 24/7 security. A resident in Singapore, our client wanted to buy a supercar in the UK because of the high levels of import tax and duty at home. They therefore wanted LCP/PrivateOffice to source a large underground and secure parking space in a luxury development in London with a concierge to run the car whilst out of town. It is rare for spaces to come available in these developments and it was between our client and another wealthy individual who also wanted that car parking space for the same reason. To make sure he secured the space, he also offered to buy the flat associated with the car parking space from the vendor for over £3m.
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?
Our clients tend to be C-Suites or HNWs who lack the time or knowledge to find a property in London. Investing and identifying the right property in London can be challenging and many of our clients come to us to help them find the right property that matches either their investment strategy or lifestyle.
Many of our clients don’t live in the UK so they need a trustful pair of eyes and boots on the ground looking out for the next best opportunity for them. This is where we come in.
We have also developed a proprietary financial model offering our clients a full investment appraisal of every property presented.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
Enhancing our customer service has always been at the core of what we do at LCP/PrivateOffice and we wanted to provide a product that allowed HNW tenants to have a flat they can call home, but also provide service on demand and the ultimate flexibility.
Through various branding exercises and pitching to investors over the years, in 2019 LCP/PrivateOffice and one of the largest pension funds in the world combined on a Joint Venture partnership creating The Other House to provide this exact service. In 2022, The Other House first opened its doors and unique service to the market and is now planning its next launch next year.
Being an integral part of the team to bring this vision to life was a hugely proud moment and the ventures continued success alongside.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
I have always been a keen sportsman and take a lot of my learnings as a leader from the pitch. Leading by example and doing the hard yards alongside your colleagues is for me the most important part of leadership. Ensuring that our Brand values and morals are upheld on a personal basis to create the best customer experience for our clients. Alongside, it is also important to create an environment where the team can thrive.
Who do you most admire and why?
Our Founder & Chair, Naomi Heaton, created LCP/PrivateOffice in her early twenties without having any formal background or experience in the property industry and established a one-of-a-kind agency that represented buyers rather than sellers, in a market saturated with estate agents. Naomi continued to create new ways for investors and buyers to enter the property market and our history of innovation is what drives our team to not rest their laurels and to strive for maximum impact for every client.
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
Over the summer I travelled to Greece with my family. And I am now about to travel to Hong Kong and Singapore for a week-long trip full of client meetings, this will be my second visit there this year.
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
I had dreams in my youth of joining the military, especially the RAF, having spent several years in the Cadets but that wasn’t to be. I have always been a lover of Sport and do my best to ensure that is linked into work where possible. Many a good meeting is held on the Golf course.
How do you relax after a long day?
Having a young family allows for a contrast between work and home life, but it is a lovely way to spend an evening taking my son to various fun activities throughout the week. I enjoy taking my dog Mae on a long walk, especially better if on the golf course on a long Summers’ evening. Trying to keep fit and healthy has always been a large part of my routine, to include running or venturing to the gym where possible. Failing the above with a large glass of red!
