The biggest event in real estate is less than a month away. Who is in contention for a coveted EG Award?
2013 WINNER, adviser of the year – offices: JLL
JLL’s 286,000 sq ft letting to JLT Insurance at Delancey’s St Botolph Building, EC3, helped the agent win this category last year.
And it’s out to defend its trophy again in 2014, pinning its hopes on – among other deals – the largest prelet in the City since 2010, advising Brookfield and Oxford Properties on letting 310,000 sq ft at 1 London Wall Place, EC2, to Schroders.
But JLL has plenty of competitors. BNP Paribas Real Estate has in its armoury the largest occupational deal in 2013, advising News UK on its 450,000 sq ft lease at The Place, SE1.
Also on the shortlist is CBRE, which has grown its China business desk headcount by 50%, enabling it to secure valuable capital flow from the republic. Evidence of the strategy’s success can be seen in the sale of the Lloyd’s Building, EC3, to Ping An and the purchase of Centrium by China Overseas Holdings – a deal that was concluded off-market in
15 days.
Also flashing the overseas cash is Strutt & Parker, boasting a 77% uplift on investment deals during the year. Highlights include the purchase of a 50% stake in the 4.7m sq ft Broadgate Estate, EC2, for GIC.
The shortlist also recognises the efforts of the niche agents. Hatton Real Estate, named as EG’s top leasing agent in the City fringe for the period July 2013-14, let 90,000 sq ft in the Buckley Building, EC1, including 16,929 sq ft to Deloitte, achieving the highest rent in Clerkenwell.
What the sponsor says:
Buro Four is delighted to be sponsoring the Adviser of the Year Award – Offices. Best of luck to all of the nominees.
Iain Roberts, chairman, Buro Four
Adviser of the year – offices
SHORTLIST
BNP Paribas Real Estate
CBRE
Hatton Real Estate
JLL
Strutt & Parker
2013 WINNER, company of the year – offices: AXA Real Estate
Axa Real Estate stole the show last year with its speculative letting of the 210,000 sq ft Sixty London, Holborn Viaduct, EC1, to Amazon.
The current shortlist features some equally big hitters, including the Crown Estate, which this year added Twitter to its list of flagship tenants. The social media giant took two floors in the £390m Quadrant 3, on Regent Street, W1, the Crown’s largest development project to date.
Derwent London is reaping the rewards of a strategy to capitalise on unique properties with low capital values and modest rents in improving locations. Careful anticipation of tenant requirements has led to a record year, with lettings of £21.8m pa (before deducting ground rent of £1m) on 643,200 sq ft.
Exemplar is hoping to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a win this year. The company has led the development of the 730,000 sq ft Fitzroy Place, the former Middlesex Hospital, W1, in partnership with Aviva Investors and Kaupthing, since 2011 and this year secured a 80,000 sq ft prelet to cosmetics giant Estée Lauder.
Workspace Group thinks its focus on selective acquisitions with development potential and the opportunity to benefit from Crossrail should make it an award winner.
What the sponsor says:
DTZ is proud to be sponsoring Company of the Year – Offices. We regard sponsoring this award as a small opportunity to express our appreciation and admiration for all of those that entered the category. Congratulations to all those shortlisted; we wish all the finalists the best of luck.
Richard Howard, head of central London agency, DTZ
Company of the year – offices
SHORTLIST
The Crown Estate
Derwent London
Exemplar Properties
Workspace Group
• The 2014 EG Awards will be held on Thursday 11 December at London Hilton on Park Lane. The evening will celebrate the best performers and biggest achievements in property in the past year. Click here to visit the website for further details #EGAwards2014
