Edmond de Rothschild has strengthened its European real estate investment management platform with the appointment of Derek Williams as head of UK Commercial Fund Management.
Derek Williams, a real estate and capital markets expert with 25 years’ experience and track record, will be responsible for developing a new strategy focused on London offices.
Prior to joining Edmond de Rothschild, he was since 2016 head of Investment Management, EMEA, head of Capital, EMEA and Americas and a member of the investment committee at Global Student Accommodation (GSA). He previously spent eight years at Russell Investments as director and Asset Class head - Real Estate and Chair of the real estate investment committee before being appointed managing director, Private Markets.
He worked as a Research manager at Land Securities between 2001 and 2005.
Arnaud Andrieu, deputy CEO of Edmond de Rothschild REIM, added, 'The London office market will offer attractive repositioning opportunities since prices have dropped in the region of 20% for the last two years due to a combination of Brexit and Covid’s impact on occupiers’ requirements. Benefiting from the impending recovery, the anticipated tenant flight to quality and the consolidation trend of occupiers to improve workspace environment with more flexibility and ESG responsibility, we foresee a good opportunity from 2022 to take advantage of the downturn with a strategy that would focus on value-add and manage-to-core London office assets.'
