Leeds-based property consultancy Gent Visick expands into London

Property consultancy Gent Visick has arrived in the UK capital, opening a new office just off Oxford Circus. The Yorkshire-based firm has doubled its number of offices in the process, amid a surge in demand among its London client count.

Founded in 2003, Leeds-headquartered Gent Visick is a niche commercial property consulting firm, which works to provide individuals, organisations and fund managers with the advice, guidance and reassurance to help them make practical decisions in relation to commercial property. The firm has been carving out a growing reputation for itself in the region ever since its launch 15 years ago, both on a local and national basis. Gent Visick counts Aviva Investors, energy giant npower, and popular confectionary brand Haribo among its clients, and has been named ‘Best Industrial Agency Team’ at the Yorkshire Property Awards on 5 separate occasions together with ‘Best Small Agency Practice’ twice in the past 15 years.

Now, as Gent Visick looks to branch out, and open itself up to international clients, the consultancy has opened its second office, and first presence in the global financial hub of London. The recently refurbished Henry Wood House will be used by staff to offer Gent Visick’s full range of services including industrial agency, building consultancy, investment and strategic consultancy. The new location will be headed by Ben Havery, who has spent 12 years working in London for both JLL and latterly Cushman & Wakefield, advising investors and developers across the industrial sector. Havery is tasked with expanding this further and will also begin growing a London team over the coming months, as Gent Visick works to respond to heightened demand from their broad spectrum of existing clients based in and around the capital.

While the UK’s industrial and logistics market is attracting strong investor appetite, driven by the occupational demand, lack of availability and resulting rental growth prospects, this is particularly true in London and the South East – with demand from investors also driven by an ailing pound, which has made foreign investment in the capital an attractive prospect. These new sources of funding entering London’s market, increasing the amount of speculative development seen, particularly on well positioned sites, something which Gent Visick will be keen to tap into.

Rupert Visick, Managing Director at Gent Visick, said of the move, “Expanding into central London is a direct result of demand from clients who value our ethos of customer care and are continually impressed with our achievements for them across the north of England. Having a base in the capital demonstrates our intentions, as we look to replicate our success beyond our Yorkshire heartland, as well as reinforcing our commitment to our existing clients.”

Commenting on the office’s lead, he said, “Ben has a great reputation in the industrial and logistics sector and a solid understanding of the London and South East market, which made him the ideal candidate for this role and we’re delighted to welcome him to the team.”

Ben Havery himself meanwhile added, “This is a fantastic opportunity to join a leading independent company that is agile, highly entrepreneurial and prides itself on always offering clients a completely bespoke service. Having a London office that can call on Gent Visick’s highly experienced team, which is prepared to capitalise on opportunities wherever they arise in the country, gives us an extremely compelling offering. All this combines to make this a very exciting career move for me.”