James

Bristol, EnglandNationality United Kingdom
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Work experience

  • Senior Development Manager

    Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company)
    2024.01-Current(2 years)
    Developing Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) schemes in GB. Masdar is the UAE’s clean energy champion and is investing £1bn into UK battery storage following its acquisition of London-based Arlington Energy in 2022.
  • Director, Restructuring

    CBRE UK
    2020.06-2024.01(4 years)
    Acting as fixed charge receiver & principal on investment property & multiple development projects with gross development values of up to £500m+ across the residential & commercial sectors. My work includes: ● Negotiating directly with private individuals, corporate & public bodies regarding land disposals and acquisitions (both leasehold & freehold), deeds of land rights release & grants of easements, wayleaves & option / promotion agreements● Identification & implementation of asset management strategies ● Tendering, instructing & managing/leading multiple project teams to secure/discharge planning permissions (including architects, planners, environmental, transport, M&E, sustainability consultants); identifying key planning risks; tendering, selecting & signing build contracts with contractors & appointing/overseeing development managers to administer those works ● Providing financial analysis including creating & managing financial models to assess returns ● Sales of multiple consented schemes/properties (including appraising pricing; appointment of brokers; assessment of offers received; managing through legal due diligence; signature of sales contract) ● Appointing/managing solicitors re property, litigation & planning matters ● Advising funders/lenders on debt and equity; & executing strategies including refinancing, workout & asset disposals & assessing risks/benefits of taking equity positions● Proposing & implementing strategies to ultimately facilitate a sale at best value● Managing Restructurings team of surveyors Recent projects include a) the management/sale of a development site with planning consent for 800+ housing units and 130,000 sq ft of commercial space; and b) a mixed-use scheme in Camden where I negotiated and signed heads of terms and ultimately an agreement for lease and licence to alter with Tesco for an occupational lease of 15 years, prior to exchanging on the sale of the property.
  • Consultant, Development

    UrbanLab Ltd
    2019.02-2020.06(a year)
    Provided site acquisition, development and funding services (including development appraisal and cashflow modelling) to Urbanlab, a London-based SME developer.
  • Consultant - Land, Development & Funding

    Self Employed
    2018.10-2020.06(2 years)
    Providing site acquisition/disposal, development and funding advice to clients including CBRE Ltd and Urbanlab.
  • Consultant, Land & Development - South West

    CBRE UK
    2019.02-2020.02(a year)
  • Director, Land & Development - South West

    CBRE UK
    2017.07-2019.02(2 years)
    Land acquisition and project development for sectors including housing, PRS/build to rent, hotels, healthcare, student and commercial.● Secured green and brownfield development sites, including engaging directly with landowners to negotiate terms for the acquisition and/or disposal of land. Single site acquisitions and complex land assembly, option and promotion agreements, wayleaves, access rights and easements ● Built complex appraisals and cashflow models to assist underwriting of development opportunities ● Applied planning policy expertise to identify and assess land acquisition/disposal opportunities● Built a strong contact book of South West-focused developers, landowners (brown and green field), land agents, funders and other professionals Identified, introduced and acquired unconsented 11-acre brownfield site in Exeter from Network Rail, on behalf of Eutopia Homes. I secured subsequent planning instruction for CBRE and forward funding instruction, generating major additional fees. Site subsequently received consent for 465 homes http://eutopiahomes.co.uk/project/prince-charles-road/. Advised local authority on the land assembly of a 12 acre city centre site, including engaging with its long leaseholders and negotiating with neighbouring private sector landowner.
  • Senior Strategist, Infrastructure Fund (Secondment from CBRE UK)

    Homes England
    2018.09-2019.02(6 months)
    Infrastructure project underwriting, modelling and assessment; plus regular presentation of projects to investment committee. Worked principally on the Housing Infrastructure Fund, a government capital grant programme of up to £2.3 billion for new physical infrastructure to unlock development sites.Assessed viability of infrastructure-linked developments ranging in size from 90 - 1000+ homes plus associated commercial development in both brownfield and greenfield locations.
  • Director, Land & Development - London

    CBRE UK
    2015.07-2017.07(2 years)
    Provided site acquisition, disposal and development consultancy advice to clients regarding land in London.● Negotiated major joint venture agreement with local authority; managed and engaged (including ‘on the ground’ door knocking and face-to-face relationship building) with 100+ landowners and land rights holders across 12-acre development site https://www.thebrentfordproject.com/. Worked on the compulsory purchase order (CPO) along with local authority partner, dedicated CPO surveyors and solicitors and barrister● Acquired key land interest and then disposed of assembled site, adjacent to Olympic Park, for £22m to Taylor Wimpey PLC
  • Senior Surveyor, Restructuring

    CBRE UK
    2011.10-2015.07(4 years)
  • Graduate, Valuation

    CBRE UK
    2010.03-2011.10(2 years)

Educational experience

  • Cass Business School

    ma property valuation & law
  • University of East Anglia

    ba (hons) politics & philosophy
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