Public Affairs Committee Biographies

Anthony Shayle joined UBS Global Asset Management in June 2009 as Head of Global Real Estate – UK (GRE). In this role, he heads the team responsible for the portfolio management of funds and mandates of our UK-based real estate business. Anthony is a member of the GRE Management Committee and the GRE UK Investment Committee.

Prior to joining UBS, Anthony worked for AXA REIM (2005–2009), where he was Regional Head of the UK, Benelux and Nordics as well as Chairman of the investment committee for the region. Prior to this position, he was Head of Business Development & Marketing UK.  Prior to this, Anthony held various senior investment, asset management, debt structuring, finance & accounting positions in the area of private equity and real estate in Curzon Global Partners, AXA REIM (in a previous period), RODAMCO, UBS, BZW and Bankers Trust. Anthony is a Certified Accountant. 

Paolo is a qualified Chartered Accountant and is Global Head of Real Estate Business Finance and Strategy at Aberdeen Standard Investments (“ASI”).  As a member of the Real Estate Investment Management Committee at ASI Paolo is responsible for providing strategic leadership and input at both business and product level whilst also being responsible for overseeing and managing the profitability of the real estate division.  In his time at ASI Paolo has been heavily involved in and often been the lead on  a number of high profile initiatives including a wide range of product launches, the industry leading merger of two PAIFs, and the development of the firm’s commercial real estate lending platform, as well as playing a key role in developing the firm’s leading real estate ESG capability.

Paolo is a recognised figure in the real estate industry with various roles at AREF (Board, Management Committee and Public Affairs Committee) as well as INREV. 

John Forbes is an independent consultant advising real estate investment managers, investors and others in the real estate industry in the rapidly changing areas of product development, governance and regulatory matters for real estate funds.  He has advised on the restructuring of high profile open and closed-ended real estate funds in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, as well as the establishment of new funds. He has advised service providers to the real estate investment management industry on the strategic implications of regulatory and other changes.  Prior to setting up John Forbes Consulting LLP in 2013, he spent over twenty-five years with PwC, where he led the firm's Real Estate Industry Practice in Europe, the Middle-East and Africa across all of the firm's services to the real estate industry.
 
John is the chairman of the Independent Supervisory Board of the UBS Triton Property Fund and sits on the Advisory Board of the sustainable property business of Impax Asset Management. He is a senior adviser to Capita Real Estate.

Nick Cooper is a Principal and Partner of The Townsend Group with responsibility for international (ex US) business and clients. He recently returned to London following a 2 year posting to the US. He is a member of both the firm's Management and Investment committees. Nick has advised institutional investors on their real estate allocations and investments both in a direct and indirect format for over 32 years and now chairs the company's Investment Underwriting Group.

Nick is a former Chairman of the Association of Real Estate Funds in the UK, a leading property industry group open to fund managers and others involved in the property industry. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Estate Management from Oxford Brookes University, is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Freeman of the City of London.

The Townsend Group is recognized as a leading provider of real estate solutions for both institutional investors and, via its fund of funds, small endowments, foundations and high net worth investors. Today Townsend has oversight of client capital in excess of $110bn invested around the world with some of the world's leading real estate managers. Townsend operates its business from offices in Cleveland, San Francisco, London and Hong Kong.

Ben Robins is a partner at Mourant Ozannes in Jersey with extensive experience in investment funds, offshore capital markets, real estate and structured finance.  Having qualified as an English solicitor with Speechly Bircham in London, he returned to Jersey to join Mourant Ozannes in 1997. He became a partner in 2002 and has headed its global funds practice area since 2008.  Ben has been a frequent participant in local industry working groups looking at key regulatory changes, including the implementation of the EU Alternative Investment Manager's Directive (AIFMD).  He was appointed Chairman of the Jersey Funds Association in July 2013.

Melville focuses on the launch and operation of real estate funds. The funds hold underlying real estate investments in the UK as well as internationally. They have attracted institutional, private and retail investors.

In addition to servicing clients, he has been involved in representing industry bodies in their dialogue with the Treasury and the FCA. He is a regular contributor to the real estate press.

Simon is the principal founder of Lothbury Investment Management Limited in the UK. He has 34 years’ experience in managing property investments on behalf of institutional clients and pension funds.

Simon was previously a Director with NatWest Investment Management and Gartmore Investment Management. He is currently Chief Executive of Lothbury Investment Management Limited which has assets under management of over £1.8bn.

Simon is a Director of The Association of Real Estate Funds and a member of the RICS Planning & Development Professional Group Board. He is also a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, The British Council of Shopping Centres and The Investment Property Forum.

Nick is co-head of Hogan Lovells investment funds group. He has extensive experience of advising on the structuring, establishment, marketing and reconstruction of a wide variety of investment funds, and on associated legal and regulatory issues.

Nick's practice covers both closed ended and open ended funds. He has a particular focus on real estate funds, private equity funds, infrastructure funds and other alternative investment classes. He also has advised on the launch of several exchange traded funds (ETFs).

Hannah is Head of UK Funds at CBRE Global Investors and is the Fund Manager for the CBRE UK Property PAIF. In her role as Fund Manager for the UK Property PAIF, Hannah is responsible for setting the Fund strategy, liaising with investors and coordinating with other team members in order to implement the strategy. Hannah also oversees two UK separate accounts. In her previous role, she was Head of European Portfolio Management within the CBRE Global Investment Partners team, responsible for managing 13 separate accounts as well as a European Fund of Funds. 
 
Prior to joining CBRE Global Investors in 2006, Hannah worked at OPC in the multi-manager team covering both the UK and continental European markets. She joined the real estate industry in 2002.
 
Hannah holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Economics and Politics from the University of Bristol and holds a Masters of Art degree in Real Estate Investment and Finance from Reading University. Hannah is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and is approved by the FCA to undertake Regulated Activities, having completed the Investment Management Certificate.

Paul has worked in the Financial Services sector since 1986, in locations including the Isle of Man, Jersey, Luxembourg and UK.  Paul has extensive experience of structuring private equity and real estate investments for institutional clients, including private equity managers, pension funds and listed property companies and serves on a number of boards.

Paul has a professional qualification background in Banking, Trust and Company Administration, Investment Management and recently complete the Investment Property Forum Diploma through the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.

Until recently, Paul was the Global Head of Fund Services Intertrust, having previously lead the Real Estate business.

David is Head of Operations for Global Real Estate – UK. His responsibilities include fund structuring, product management and central supplier relations. He has performed this role since July 2009.

David joined UBS Global Asset Management in January 2006 as legal counsel for Global Real Estate – Continental Europe, helping to establish UBS’s Luxembourg real estate funds and advising on transactions throughout Continental Europe.

Before joining UBS, David specialised in commercial property transactions at Berwin Leighton Paisner (2001– 2005). David’s acquisition and disposals experience included acting for Tesco on new store acquisitions as well as a secondment to British Land. Prior to joining Berwin Leighton Paisner, David worked as a trainee solicitor in London with Eversheds (1999–2001).

David got a BA (Hons) and Post Graduate Diploma in Law at Leeds University.

Mark is responsible for the overall management of the Secretariat and for engagement with UK and EU authorities.  Mark is also Company Secretary, Chair of the Fund Accounting Working Group and provides secretariat services to the Management and Business Strategy Committees.

Jacqui Bungay is responsible for Code compliance reviews for new members and for monitoring the compliance of existing funds.  Jacqui provides policy guidance and secretariat services for the following AREF Committees: Corporate Governance, Indices & Performance Management, Investor and Regulation.