We have appointed Andrew Stanford, the former head of the UK Government’s Private Rented Sector Taskforce, to establish and lead a new living-sector transactions and strategic advisory offer.
Andrew joins as a partner in our London-based Property Consultancy team, bringing more than 30 years’ experience across residential investment, capital markets, asset management, government policy and consultancy.
He will advise investors, developers, housing providers and other organisations on investment strategy, transactions, portfolio performance and the long-term management and optimisation of residential assets. His work will span Build to Rent, purpose-built student accommodation, co-living, senior living and affordable housing.
The appointment gives us a new capability throughout the property lifecycle by combining Andrew’s investment and market expertise with our existing technical capabilities, enabling clients to consider commercial, operational and technical factors together when making investment and asset-management decisions.
Andrew has held senior living-sector positions at Deloitte, Colliers and LaSalle Investment Management. At LaSalle, he helped establish a national Build to Rent portfolio of almost 2,000 homes, worth approximately £500 million, including acting as asset manager/funder’s representative on the development of around 600 Build to Rent homes in central Birmingham.
More recently, he led residential capital markets teams at Colliers and Deloitte. His work included large-scale residential investment transactions, capital raising and strategic advice to investors, developers and housebuilders. At Deloitte, he helped secure the mandate for the sale of Notting Hill Genesis’s Folio portfolio, comprising approximately 2,000 private rented homes with a reported value of £800 million. His most recent position was at Get Living, where he advised on cladding remediation strategy.
In 2013, Andrew was appointed to lead the UK Government’s Private Rented Sector Taskforce. The taskforce worked with institutional investors, developers, housing associations and government bodies to stimulate investment in purpose-built rented housing and help establish what has since become the UK’s institutional Build to Rent market.
Andrew’s appointment comes as investors and asset owners across the living sector contend with higher financing costs, changing regulation, building-safety responsibilities and growing pressure to improve the performance of existing portfolios. These conditions are increasing demand for advice that connects investment strategy with a detailed understanding of buildings, development, risk and long-term operation.
Ridge has an unusually broad range of technical expertise, which creates an opportunity to give investors, developers and asset owners a more complete view of the decisions they are making. ”
Andrew Stanford
Partner, Property Consultancy
“Clients want confidence that investment strategies, building performance and technical risks are being considered together. That might mean assessing an acquisition, improving the performance of an existing portfolio, addressing building-safety requirements or determining where further investment will create the greatest long-term value.
“While the fundamentals supporting housing demand are still strong, the challenge now is creating the confidence and conditions needed to attract investment and unlock development, while also ensuring that existing assets continue to perform. I am looking forward to combining my experience of investment and asset management with Ridge’s technical expertise to help clients navigate those decisions.”
Andrew is one of the UK’s most experienced living-sector advisers. He understands the sector from the perspectives of government, investors, developers, housing providers and asset owners, and has been closely involved in the evolution of the institutional residential market.”
Mark Astbury
Partner and Property Consultancy Lead
“His appointment represents a significant development of Ridge’s Property Consultancy offer. By bringing investment and transaction expertise together with our established technical and delivery capabilities, we can advise clients from the earliest strategic decisions through to the performance and management of completed assets.
“We are delighted to welcome Andrew to Ridge and believe his experience will be invaluable to clients as they respond to a changing regulatory and operational environment.”
Andrew is a chartered surveyor and holds the CFA UK Level 4 Certificate in Investment Management. He chaired the British Property Federation’s Build to Rent Committee between 2015 and 2023 and has also served as a non-executive director of Orbit Group.
Let’s talk
For more information, visit our Property Consultancy page or contact Andrew at andrewstanford@ridge.co.uk
