Laure Duhot

About me

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

Scope of professional activity as Senior Advisor

Laure provides the following services to institutional investors, family office, fund managers, registered providers and property companies.

Strategic Advice

  • External independent member of in-house Investment Committee.
  • Investment strategy in key target UK and European markets.
  • Product development, including drafting of business case and preliminary Heads of Terms for new products/strategies.
  • Advice on development/tenure mix/phasing and optimal funding strategy for large new master-planned mixed-used and mixed-tenure residential developments.
  • Operating advice and identification of suitable strategic operating partners, in the ‘living’ sector, with focus a on PRS/Build to Rent and Senior Living.
  • Capital markets and corporate finance strategy, including best access to retail distribution for private and public-listed vehicles.

Management and transaction support

  • Sourcing transactions and implementing pre-agreed investment strategy.
  • Senior transaction leadership (execution of M&A, or portfolio sale/acquisition).
  • Debt and equity raising for fund, club, join-venture or separate accounts.
  • Execution of secondary trades in existing close-end real estate funds.
  • Senior support negotiating funds, clubs or joint ventures between investors and operating partner or developer; between private and public sector.
  • Senior advice on restructuring/extending the term of funds of JVs, acting as go-between between all parties to seek solution which can win majority approval.
  • Fill-in on temporary senior executive role (CIO, CEO, Head of business unit) covering for maternity and long-term sick leave of incumbent.
  • On-going Senior Adviser ‘ambassadorial role’ for a business and mentoring of more junior staff.

Scope and focus of non-executive mandates

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:

ESG Committee:

  • GRESB, zero-carbon developments, diagnostic and long-term plan to decrease of carbon footprint of property portfolio and operations, green leases clauses.
  • Staff wellbeing, diversity and gender equality, improved corporate governance: Laure was involved with the launch of Real Estate Balance.
  • Social impact investments and investment in local community.

Investment Committee

  • Investment decisions and underwriting of new developments.
  • Funding and hedging strategy (private and public-listed equity and debt).
  • Financial PR strategy to reach institutional and retail investors.
  • Capital Raising, marketing and investors roadshows for public-listed and private companies.

Remuneration and Nomination Committee

  • Setting-out performance objectives and KPI.
  • Supervising performance and appraisal of Manager and/or senior team.
  • Managing relationship with external manager, including (re)negotiation of contract.
  • Devising new LTIP and Remuneration Policies; approving bonus of senior team.
  • Recruiting new CEO, CFO and NEDs.

Current non-executive mandates

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

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 plc

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.

NBMMI limited

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.

CBRE-Investment 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

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:

Latis Group limited

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 - London

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 Fund

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).

Housebuilder - Inland Homes plc

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.

The Guinness Partnership

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.

TVHA

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.