Leading UK build-to-rent provider Placefirst has appointed Henry Marshall as its new investment director, to drive forward the business’s ambitious growth plans.
Henry joins the senior leadership team in this newly created role at a key moment for the business which looks to build on recent success. Henry will be based in the London office and will be responsible for leading Placefirst’s expansion geographically, which will include working with third party delivery partners.
Henry has more than 15 years’ experience in real estate investment, specialising in the living sectors. He was most recently at property investment firm Realstar responsible for the acquisition and asset management of residential investments, helping grow the business to over 4,000 units. Prior to this, Henry held transaction roles at Quintain and Deloitte.
This is a pivotal time for Placefirst which has established itself as a leader in the single-family BTR market and has ambitious aims to reach 6,500 homes in the coming years. This pipeline includes 122 apartments at Cow Green in Halifax approved in March, 146 homes at Benwell Dene in Newcastle submitted in April, and 366 units in Wolverhampton. Placefirst are also currently on site delivering over 300 homes in five locations including Bolton, where work is progressing on 167 homes in partnership with the council.
Commenting on his appointment, Henry said: “I am excited to join Placefirst at such an important time following significant recent growth. Having already delivered a number of award-winning schemes, the business has many successful neighbourhoods across England where people are proud to live. I look forward to working with the team to expand our position as leaders in the BTR sector through further high-quality schemes.”
David Mawson, chief executive officer at Placefirst added: “We’re pleased to welcome Henry to Placefirst, bringing with him over 15 years’ experience and knowledge of real estate investment. He will be fundamental to our next phase of growth in this newly created role. With a strong pipeline of developments currently underway and demand for quality rental homes ever increasing, it’s important that we continue to create thriving communities by delivering best-in-class single-family BTR neighbourhoods across the UK.”