Martin Barber, founder of Capital & Regional, has joined the specialist shopping centre investor and operator Lathe Investments.
Barber has joined the firm as an equity partner, alongside Richard Tanner and Tim Cornford, to help lead a £500m investment drive into the UK shopping centre market.
Lathe will focus on middle-tier locations, targeting centres with asset management and development opportunities.
Lathe was founded in 1996 by Ian Knight and Richard Perrin. It co-owns and manages two shopping centres.
The company teamed up with asset manager Angelo, Gordon & Co to buy back the 340,000 sq ft Castlegate development in January for £27.8m.
Barber, 66, left C&R in 2008 after a slide in its share price at the start of the downturn. At the beginning of 2009, he founded Zenith Estates with son Jamie and Andrew Doughty.
Knight said: “Barber brings a wealth of experience, and contacts probably second to none. We see more opportunities coming our way where we can use our skills to add value.”
