British Land boss takes reins as BPF president ahead of merger vote
The chief executive of British Land Simon Carter has taken over as president of the British Property Federation (BPF), as the group prepares to vote for a proposed merger with two other industry bodies.
He succeeds Jessica Hardman, chief executive and co-founder of Aboria Capital, who has held the role since July 2024.
Carter joined the board of British Land in 2018 as chief financial officer, before taking on the role of chief executive two years later. He leads the business across a range of markets, including retail parks, urban logistics schemes, and mixed use campuses.
His appointment comes as members of the BPF, the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF), and the Investment Property Forum (IPF) prepare to vote on a potential merger. The proposed organisation would be named Real Estate: UK (RE:UK).
Simon Carter, chief executive at British Land and BPF president, said: “It is a privilege to take on the role of president of the British Property Federation. Our industry plays a vital role in shaping places and supporting communities across the country, and makes an enormous contribution to the UK economy in creating jobs, unlocking investment and enabling innovation.
“Under Jessica’s leadership, the BPF has seen significant success in securing crucial policy interventions and support that will unlock investment into UK real estate. I look forward to building on that strong foundation to ensure the Government fully harnesses the power of our sector.
“I hope that our members will endorse our vision to build an even more powerful new industry body in RE:UK, and look forward to taking the baton from Jessica to oversee that transition during my presidency.”
Melanie Leech, chief executive at the BPF, added: “This is a critical time for our industry as we work with Government to deliver the homes, workspaces and infrastructure needed to reboot the economy and drive growth.
“Simon’s extensive experience and knowledge across finance and development will be invaluable as we manage the twin challenges of helping to shape policy that will unlock investment and accelerate delivery, and, if our members agree, transitioning to a new organisation building on the strengths of the BPF, AREF and IPF,”
“I would also like to thank Jessica for her dedication and outstanding leadership over the past year as we have developed and refined our plans for a new body that will represent the full breadth of the real estate sector and amplify our voice.”