Roddy Houston MA (Cantab.) MRICS
Chairman, Commercial Property Forum
Principal, Houston Real Estate Consulting Ltd
Chair, Commercial Property Forum, Cambridge University Land Society (CULS)
Member, Cambridge Land Economy Advisory Board (CLEAB)
Roddy is a management consultant / contractor with extensive experience in estate strategy, portfolio planning and strategic commercial real estate asset management, of large, complex property portfolios across both the private and public sectors.
He advises and enables transactions with various clients, currently acting as an Engagement Director in Strategic Advisory in Avison Young UK. Recent projects include developing estate strategies for major portfolio holders and working with Net Zero Now, a climate-tech. company, to improve carbon accounting and decarbonisation in the Construction Supply Chain.
Before that, he was Deputy Director (London) in the Government Property Agency, leading a team to transform the Civil Estate’s London Office Portfolio. Previous roles include leading teams to develop and drive estate transformations for the MoD, DVLA, BBC and other clients whilst with Capita and Land Securities / TeleReal Trillium, having been a consultant in the real estate teams at KPMG Consulting and Coopers & Lybrand.
A Chartered Surveyor, he holds qualifications in Sustainable Real Estate and a degree in Economics (Cambridge). Amongst non-executive / pro bono roles, he:
• Chairs the Commercial Property Professional Group Panel (PGP) at the RICS;
• Sits on the RICS’s Knowledge & Practice Committee (KPC);
• Chairs the Commercial Property Forum of the Cambridge University Land Society (CULS);
• Is a former President of CULS (2012-2014); and
• Is a founder member of the Cambridge Land Economy Advisory Board (CLEAB).
Lauren Fendick
Committee Member
Partner, Taylor Wessing
Lauren is a Partner in the Real Estate Department at Taylor Wessing LLP whose practice covers all aspects of general commercial real estate, including investment acquisitions and disposals within the retail, industrial, and high-end office sectors, related financing and structuring issues, development, and forward funding agreements. Lauren and the wider Real Estate team at Taylor Wessing LLP frequently advise international clients who are investing in London and the regions.
Lauren graduated from Queens' College, University of Cambridge in 2006 with a degree in Law
Marcus Geddes
Committee Member
Managing Director Central London, Landsec.
Marcus Geddes is a qualified chartered surveyor with over 20 years’ experience in the central London market. A Cambridge Land Economy graduate, he qualified and spent 13 years at Savills before joining Landsec in 2011. Marcus has responsibility both for the performance of Landsec’s Central London portfolio and executing company acquisitions and disposals. Marcus is the Vice-Chairman of the Westminster Property Association.
Mike Gedye
Committee Member
Head of EMEA Technology Sector Vertical, CBRE
Leveraging CBRE’s scale, to access specialist market knowledge and data driven insights, Mike has become a recognised expert in Corporate Occupier real estate strategies and leads CBRE’s Technology Sector vertical, supporting the workplace needs of a diverse portfolio of Technology focused businesses from Start-Ups to Corporate Multinationals. Mike also has a passion for emerging and disruptive technologies and is a market leader exploring the impact of Smart Buildings on workforce productivity, cost optimization and the end-user experience.
Whether accelerating growth, building workplace flexibility and agility or driving a superior user experience to attract and retain the best talent, Mike helps his clients to leverage the unique impact of real estate as an enabler and driver of change and positive transformation.
Sophie Linton
Committee Member
Programme Director Neighbourhoods, Camden Council
Sophie heads up the commercial property team at Camden Council, with responsibility for Camden’s portfolio of commercial units across the borough. Prior to joining Camden, she headed up the property team at Lambeth Council, before which she worked for 13 years in the private sector at both Knight Frank LLP (salaried partner) and BNPP Paribas (associate director). She embarked on a career as a chartered surveyor having seen surveyors in action at English Partnerships’ Royal Docks office, where she worked as a marketing assistant in the late 1990s. Having completed her MA in Property Valuation and Law at City University (now CASS), she joined Weatherall Green and Smith as a graduate trainee in 2001, qualifying two years later.
Sophie graduated from Newnham College with a degree in Geography in 1996. She continues to support the regeneration of the Royal Docks as a Trustee for the West Silvertown Foundation.
Dominic Masters
Committee Member
Capita Real Estate and Infrastructure - Property Strategy
Dominic works for Capita as a senior property strategist in the Defence Infrastructure Organisation focusing on the Ministry of Defence's property portfolio in London and the South East. He is currently working on a number of initiatives for real estate rationalisation and disposals. Previously he was at Real Estate Fund Manager Palmer Capital and began his career as a real estate management consultant with IBM Global Services. He was also a British Army Officer for 9 years.
Dominic graduated from Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge in 2001 with a degree in Social & Political Sciences and in 2002 gained an M.Phil in Real Estate Finance, also from Cambridge. In 2012 he attended New College, University of Oxford, where he gained an MBA with distinction.
Alistair Meadows
Committee Member
Head of Life Sciences & Alternatives, Capital Markets EMEA, JLL
Alistair leads the EMEA Life Sciences and Alternatives, Capital Markets team. He has over 25 years of global real estate experience, specialising in managing strategic investor/developer relationships and facilitating cross border transactions with international investors, totaling over $10Bn. Alistair has been UK Board sponsor for JLL’s Life Sciences practice and now leads the growth strategy for EMEA, advising key investor clients in sector.
Dan Nicholson
Committee Member
Dan Nicholson was until May 2021 responsible for leading Tishman Speyer’s business in the United Kingdom, including acquisitions, sales, development and asset management activities. Prior to joining Tishman Speyer in 2011, Dan worked in private equity investing in UK operating businesses and real estate. He also led the main investment portfolio at Quintain Estates & Development Plc and was a Chartered Surveyor with Lambert Smith Hampton. He has an MA in Classics from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Property Valuation and Law from Cass Business School.
Georgina Redsell
Committee Member
Associate, Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Georgina is an associate in the Real Estate and Construction Sector at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, specialising in resolving property related disputes in both the commercial and residential spheres. Her clients include landed estates, institutional investors, charities and individuals
In respect of commercial disputes, she has experience in insolvency, dilapidations, consents and business tenancy renewals and also advises on issues arising out of the Electronic Communications Code. Georgina advises on other real property issues and has acted for clients in Court and tribunal proceedings relating to easements and trespass, as well as claims for misrepresentation in pre-contract enquiries.
Georgina graduated from Fitzwilliam College in 2006 with an undergraduate degree in law and after spending a year abroad at the University of Regensburg, Germany. After graduating she spent another year at Fitzwilliam and obtained a Master of Laws (LLM).
Josh Singer
Committee Member
Director, J Safra Group
Josh Singer is a Director at J. Safra Group, the investment office of the privately owned Safra Group. Josh manages the UK real estate investments, notably the iconic 30 St Mary Axe (aka The Gherkin), acquired in November 2014. Josh’s previous roles were at GE Capital, the US conglomerate, and Legal & General where he has been responsible for the asset management and development of commercial property across the UK.
Charlie Stoneham
Committee Member
Charlie Stoneham, is an Associate Director working in Savills Central London & International investment team. He specialises in advising a range of international and domestic clients on investment strategy and transaction execution for both acquisition and disposal mandates. Charlie is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered surveyors, having completed the Savills graduate scheme, working in departments including Valuations, Property Management, Retail Leasing and Cross Border Investment (from Hong Kong).
Charlie is the Co-Chair of the Silver Street Group, and is a mentor on the WCCS Pathways to Property scheme.
Charlie graduated from St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge in 2016 with an undergraduate degree in Land Economy.
Anila Thompson
Committee Member
Principal H.I.G Capital
Anila Thompson serves as a Principal at H.I.G. Capital. She is responsible for capital raising and investor relations activities in Europe across the Firm’s real estate and infrastructure funds. Prior to joining H.I.G., Anila worked in JLL’s Capital Markets group, focused on real estate fundraising. Prior to JLL she worked on fundraising and business development at Venn Partners and Threadneedle Investments. Anila started her career as a lawyer in corporate finance in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. She has a MBA from INSEAD and a Masters Degree in law from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University.
Roger Thornton
Committee Member
Commercial Property Partner, Maples Teesdale
Roger is a commercial property partner at real estate law firm Maples Teesdale. He specialises in investment sales and purchases and has wide experience of portfolio acquisitions and disposals. He also acts for a number of large developers and landowners on urban redevelopment projects and fundings. Clients of Maples include Standard Life, Rockspring Fund Managers and F and C Reit. Recently the firm has also been involved advising the US Government on the relocation of its London embassy hq from Grosvenor square to Battersea.
Roger is also a committee member of The British Property Federation (Commercial Property Committee) and a founder member of The Commercial Real Estate Legal Association.