BNP Paribas Real Estate's former UK chief John Slade is to join Evans Randall as executive chairman, the London-based private equity real estate company announced on Friday.

john slade rs

John Slade Rs

Slade, who left BNPPRE earlier this month after five years with the firm, will become a partner in Evans Randall alongside co-founders Kent Gardner and Paul Kendrick, joining the company’s Mayfair-based team.

'John is a long-time friend of the Evans Randall Investors team and has played a valued role in the growth of our business over the past decade as an advisor on major transactions,' commented Kent Gardner, chief executive of Evans Randall.

Slade's departure from BNPPRE came shortly after the broker closed the takeover of one of the UK's largest property partnerships. Slade was instrumental in the takeover of Strutt & Parker, which was announced in July and is due to complete this month.

Following the takeover, Strutt & Parker’s managing partner Andy Martin was announced as the boss of the merged firm’s UK business.

Slade joined BNP PRE in June 2012, prior to which he served as CEO of Accrue Capital. During his career he has delivered £15 bn of investment transactions across the UK and Europe. Former roles also included the chairmanship of capital markets at international property consultancy DTZ.

The news is the latest in a succession of announcements by Evans Randall in recent weeks, including the sale of 33 Old Broad Street to Hong Kong’s SEA Holdings Limited for £258 mln, reflecting an initial yield of 3.46%, and the recent launch of Bureau, a £115 mln office development in London’s Midtown where work started onsite earlier this summer.