With over 40 years of experience, Mark is widely regarded as one of London’s leading real estate investment advisors. As a founding partner of Michael Elliott (40 years in November), Mark and his team have successfully advised on the acquisition and disposal of over £60 billion of UK real estate in mainly Central London covering development, investment and owner occupier advice.
Mark has been involved with numerous high-profile transactions including some of Central London’s best-known buildings such as the Millennium Dome, Centre Point, the Burlington Arcade, Earls Court & Olympia, Queensberry House, 60 Sloane Avenue, 1 Strand, the redevelopment, Fenwicks New Bond Street, Buchanan House St James’ Square, Herbal House, Farringdon and many other trophies.
Other transactions have included strategic loan workouts for the likes of Nippon Credit Bank, Swedbank, Westpac, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Macquarie, Octopus, Topland, Cynergy, Cohort and many others.
Mark is a senior partner of Metrus, our sister management company helping to grow the portfolio from £300 million in 2001 to £6 billion today.
He is a generous philanthropist and board member of Rays Of Sunshine – a UK charity that brightens the lives of seriously ill young people and their families across the UK by granting wishes and providing ongoing support within hospitals.
In this episode of PropertyShe, Susan Freeman speaks with Mark Shipman, founding partner of Michael Elliott, to mark his 40th year in real estate. Widely recognised as one of London’s leading investment advisers, Mark reflects on his early career, landmark deals, and the evolution of the London property market. He also shares his perspective on current market conditions, international investment trends, and how technology and regulation are reshaping the industry.
In this episode, Mark Shipman speaks about:
- Career beginnings & early influences - upbringing, first roles, mentors, and founding Michael Elliott at 24.
- Formative deals & Chelsfield - early trades (e.g., Great Newport Street), portfolio transactions, and scaling through the 1990s–2000s.
- How London’s market has evolved - rise of global capital, why international investors choose London (law, stability, culture), and today’s buyer mix.
- Market cycles & shocks - lessons from the early-90s downturn, LTCM (1998), the 2008 crisis, and COVID’s long-term impact on confidence and debt.
- Current investment sentiment - ebb and flow of overseas capital, growth of owner-occupier HQ purchases in prime Mayfair and St James’s.
- Policy and tax headwinds - potential effects of a mansion tax, the end of tax-free shopping, and wider fiscal uncertainty.
- Public markets & capital structure - REIT discounts, possible sector consolidation, and investor shifts towards lending and AI-linked opportunities.
- Development and placemaking - examples including Sterling Square and the Fenwick/Bond Street redevelopment; importance of architecture, design, and tenant mix.
- Hospitality snapshot - strong mid-market hotel performance contrasted with softer ultra-luxury demand.
- Operator-led transactions - OpCo/PropCo structures and the BBC Maida Vale acquisition involving Hans Zimmer’s team.
- Law and regulation - how the Building Safety Act 2022 is reshaping development risk and timelines.
- AI in real estate - valuable analytical tool but still dependent on human judgment and negotiation.
- Advisory approach & lessons - the importance of adaptability, financial understanding, and trusted professional relationships.