Knight Frank has hired James Nicholson as partner to lead a newly established central London tech and creative team.
Nicholson joins from JLL, where he was an associate director in tech and creative-oriented leasing business London Unlimited.
Knight Frank’s decision to establish a dedicated tech offering is the latest in a string of moves by the big agencies to tap into London’s burgeoning digital and creative industries, which have driven office take-up over the last few years.
Nicholson is a member of Tech London Advocates, which provides advice to new London start-ups.
His team, which will include surveyor Seb Abigail, will work across the central London market, as well as acting as a test bed for innovation at Knight Frank.
Nicholson: said: “There is a real opportunity to build a team here that understands and emulates these successful businesses, breaks the traditional mould and provides a new face to the business − offering sound advice that is different, innovative and creative to our clients, old and new.”
The launch of KF’s tech team comes as the agent’s research found that TMT firms have acquired 12.5m sq ft of office space this cycle – the equivalent of the total office stock in Leeds.
The surge in demand has resulted in huge increases in rents in areas popular with TMT firms.
Shoreditch rents are now £65 per sq ft, just shy of those in the City core at £66.50 per sq ft.
Four years ago Shoreditch rents were £40 per sq ft while the City core was £55 per sq ft.
