Multilingual senior real estate specialist with successful track record across Europe/UK. Success achieved through savvy investment strategy, astute acquisitions, and timely disposals, enhanced by sophisticated corporate finance expertise and strong deal-making skills and extensive investor network.
Seasoned NED with almost two decades’ experience on the board of public listed and private REITs, investment trusts, property companies, real estate funds and registered providers.
Active business angel investor for over 10 years, with focus on the Proptech sector. Currently acting as Senior Adviser for several property firms, fund managers and start-up business across Europe. Mentor to start-up entrepreneurs. Passionate about urban planning, housing (particularly senior living and the use of MMC), social impact investing in the living sector, and transitioning the real estate industry to Net Zero Carbon.
Scope of professional activity as Senior Advisor
Laure provides the following services to institutional investors, family office, fund managers, registered providers and property companies.
Scope and focus of non-executive mandates
Ever since she was tasked of reviewing the European Investment Bank’s governance and audit function and implementing a broad reform of its Audit Structure in the early 1990s, Laure has had a keen interest in Corporate Governance. From 2003 onwards, she has held various Non-Executive Directorships, in parallel to her executive roles.
As a NED, she has built a solid track record, playing an active role in several corporate mergers and acquisitions, equity raises and bond placements for the public-listed companies and Registered Providers. She was also involved in management integration following M&A, management internalisation, in-depth corporate restructuring.
As Committee Chair, Laure was able to use her expertise in the following areas:
Current non-executive mandates
Ever since she was tasked of reviewing the European Investment Bank’s governance and audit function and implementing a broad reform of its Audit Structure in the early 1990s, Laure has had a keen interest in Corporate Governance and she has held various Non Executive Directorships, in parallel to her executive jobs. Current mandate includes:
PHP plc is one of the large UK REITs and part of the FTSE250 index, with a market capitalisation of c. £2bn. It focuses on primary healthcare properties in the UK and Ireland. Laure is Chair of the ESG Sustainability Committee and was Chair of the Advisory Committee which supervised the external manager until January 2021, when PHP successfully internalised management, buying-out its external manager.
Safestore, is one of the large UK specialist REITs with a market capitalisation of c. £2.3bn; it is listed on the LSE and part of the FTSE250 index. Its pan- European operations cover Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK and it is the largest self-storage group in the UK and in Paris. Laure is Chair of its Remuneration Committee.
Neuberger Berman Monthly Income limited is a fund listed on the LSE, investing in a broad range of credit assets, including but not limited to high yield and investment grade bonds and alternative credit comprising of private debt, special situations and CLO debt tranches. Laure was recently appointed Chair of the Remuneration & Nomination Committee and of the Engagement Committee, which supervises the external manager.
Laure has been appointed as an Independent Member of the UK Direct Real Estate Investment Committee of CBRE-IM. CBRE-IM is the leading global real estate investment management firm with c. 147bn asset under management, operating in 20 countries around the world and an affiliate of CBRE Group Inc (NYSE:CBRE), the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2021 revenue).
Selection of past mandates
Ever since she was tasked of reviewing the European Investment Bank’s governance and audit function and implementing a broad reform of its Audit Structure in the early 1990s, Laure has had a keen interest in Corporate Governance and she has held various Non Executive Directorships, in parallel to her executive jobs. Current mandate includes:
The Latis Group is a start-up strategic land developer, focused on creating and supporting a new generation of large master planned sustainable communities and garden villages using the latest modern method of construction and tech-enabled solutions, working with a broad range of private and public sector partners. As a NED, Laure's role has been to explore strategic partnerships and innovative funding solutions.
MIC Limited is a niche ethical hotel operator, building and managing hotels in the UK and Italy. As a NED, Laure was also involved with the Italian business and with new hotel development schemes in the UK.
MedicX focuses on primary healthcare properties in the UK and Ireland. Laure was appointed as a NED and member of the Audit and Risk Committee when the company listed on the LSE as a REIT. When MedicX merged with PHP, she was offered to join the PHP plc board (see above).
InLand Homes is an AIM-listed brownfield regeneration specialist which focuses on buying brownfield sites and enhancing their value through planning and development. Laure was a member of the Audit Committee and of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee.
Guinness Partnership is one of the largest housing associations in the UK, with c.65,000 units. Laure was a member of the Finance & Development Committee, the Group Audit and Risk Committee and the Service and Product Committee.
Metropolitan Thames Valley was formed through the partnership of Thames Valley Housing Association and Metropolitan Housing Trust in October 2018 and it. It currently manages 57,000 homes. Fizzy Living is the group’s entity operating in the market rent business. Over c. three 3-year mandates, Laure took-up increasing responsibilities, including Deputy Chair of the Group Board, member of the Audit and Risk Committee, Funding Committee, and Remuneration/Nomination Committee, and Chair of the Investment Committee. She was heavily involved in formulating the business plan, approving and supervising the launch of Fizzy Living.