EA SHAW
The London and South East adviser of the year is a crowded category with many firms to choose from, but it was niche London agency EA Shaw that was uppermost in readers’ minds when they registered their votes.
Established in 1899, the firm is synonymous with Midtown, the geographical location between the West End and City, but its client base stretches into the wider central London market. Indeed, one of the highlights of the year for Charlie Killen, partner and head of commercial, was winning the contract to manage Soho Estates’ portfolio.
Nurturing staff and reinforcing the team following some departures has been a priority for Killen, with Simon Lee returning to the firm to strengthen its West End knowledge base after four years at DTZ. Niall Gallagher has also joined from rival niche practice Farebrother.
EA Shaw lost its investment team three years ago, and Killen decided not to replace it as market conditions were tough. Now he believes that the time is right to focus on that sector again.
Killen himself is the person most in the industry associate with the name EA Shaw, and he seems to be highly regarded among his peers with the description “great guy” often cropping up when asked about him.
Tony Parrack of Edward Charles & Partners says: “EA Shaw is a very strong brand with a Covent Garden focus. They have lost some staff, but this will come back because of the depth of experience they have, and because Charlie Killen is at the helm.”
But with EA Shaw looking to expand its work into the West End, how is it going to compete with so many firms already based there? Killen says: “Our USP is our personal service at a high level, and our mix of commercial and residential expertise. I sit just a few feet from Lisa Hollands, who heads our residential team. We know that we compete with all the big agencies, but our client base is not that different to all the big firms.”
MEPC
Keeping any business on track during a recession is no mean feat, and it is no surprise that the highlights of the past 12 months for MEPC chief executive Rick de Blaby centre on the business’s performance.
The national developer, which has a strong presence in the South East, including business parks in Basingstoke and Oxford, was voted property company of the year for London and the South East. De Blaby says: “We got our vacancy down from 15% to 11%, retention rates held up at 91% and we’ve increased our income.”
At a more local level, agents have been impressed with the company’s business attitude. Jim London of Hampshire-based firm London Clancy praises the approachability of MEPC’s man on the ground in Basingstoke, Rupert Batho, saying: “They are a very good developer and they take into account the dynamics of the market and market changes.”
Given that MEPC has set the bar quite high, what would de Blaby like to achieve in the coming 12 months? “I would like to do exactly the same again. Given that 2011 is possibly even more challenging, I think it will be the year that polarises the winners and losers, and I’d like MEPC to be on the offensive.”
stacey.meadwell@estatesgazette.com
