Major UK Property Firms Announce Senior Research and Operational Appointments
UK Property News

Major UK Property Firms Announce Senior Research and Operational Appointments

By The Property AI Newsroom, Editorial Team · 7 July 2026 · 2 min read

Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by PropertyWire. Read the original article for full details.

Three major UK property firms have announced senior appointments and promotions across research and operational roles, signalling changes in their leadership structures.

BNP Paribas Real Estate has appointed Rebecca Shafran as head of commercial research. Shafran joined BNP Paribas Real Estate in 2019 and has over 20 years of experience in real estate research and strategy, with expertise in sectors such as student accommodation, hotels, healthcare, care homes, and retirement living.

Strutt & Parker has named Jason Beedell as head of residential and rural research. Beedell has been with Strutt & Parker since 2016, specialising in rural property, agriculture, and land use policy. He will now oversee the firm’s residential and rural research team.

In regional estate agency news, Greenslade Taylor Hunt (GTH) has promoted Mark Chant to associate at its Yeovil office. Chant has nearly 30 years of experience in the property sector and previously operated his own estate agency in Yeovil. In his new role, he will lead the sales team at the Yeovil office and work with GTH’s branch network across Yeovil, Sherborne, Ilminster, Chard, and Langport, overseeing property marketing and sales.

Build-to-rent operator Apo has appointed Justine Edmonds as managing director, effective 10 August. Edmonds joins from LRG, where she led the Living Markets strategy across single-family housing and multifamily portfolios. Apo, acquired by Broadsword Investment Management in 2024, currently operates more than 2,000 rental homes across five build-to-rent developments in London, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Manchester. The company is seeking to expand across the wider living sector, including build-to-rent, single-family housing, co-living, and serviced apartments.

These appointments reflect ongoing changes in the UK property market, where specialist knowledge and leadership are increasingly valued by investors and occupiers.


Source: PropertyWire
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The Property AI Newsroom
Editorial Team

The Property AI Newsroom curates daily UK lettings and property news for letting agents, inventory clerks, and property professionals. Our articles are AI-assisted and reviewed against authoritative trade publications and government sources. Every article carries a citation back …

AI-assisted reporting, sourced from Property118, Letting Agent Today, Landlord Today, Gov.UK MHCLG, The Negotiator, PropertyWire and Mortgage Solutions.

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