Knight Frank to appoint new senior partner and group chair
Knight Frank has announced that it will be appointing Rory Penn as the firm’s senior partner and group chair, following an election process.
He will succeed William Beardmore-Gray in April 2027.
To enable a smoother transition, Penn – who is currently Knight Frank’s head of London residential sales, chair of its Global Private Office, and a member of the UK Board – will join the firm’s executive board in April 2026. From then, he will begin a year-long transition period ahead of taking up the role.
Penn joined Knight Frank in 2018, after Knight Frank acquired VanHan, a business he co-founded. He had spent a decade working client-side, starting his career at Grosvenor, with subsequent positions at private equity real estate firms Rowan and Palmer Capital. Over the course of his career, Penn has worked with a range of private capital, private equity, and institutional clients over his career.
William Beardmore-Gray will retire from Knight Frank in March 2027 after a 36 year tenure. Having joined in 1991, he has built a career advising clients in London and across the firm’s global network. He was elected head of the occupier strategy and solutions global service line in 2013, and subsequently elected as senior partner and group chair in 2022.
William Beardmore-Gray said: “Rory is an exceptional successor to lead the partnership from 2027, and I look forward to seeing the firm continue to thrive under his stewardship. As well as a background in commercial property as an investor, he has, for many years, been one of London’s most respected residential advisors to major clients. As chair of our Global Private Office, he has strengthened our capabilities with UHNWs and family offices across prime commercial and residential markets worldwide. He is a driven, collaborative and strategic leader with an ambitious global mindset.
“I will, of course, be sad to leave the partnership in 2027, but will be staying active within the industry and look forward to exploring new opportunities. However, over the next 15 months, my focus remains firmly on delivering strong performance for our fantastic global partnership.”
Rory Penn added: “Being elected as Knight Frank’s next senior partner is a tremendous honour. I care passionately about our clients, our brand, and most importantly our phenomenal people. We are privileged to represent an extraordinary calibre of private and institutional clients, advising and transacting on the most remarkable real estate in the world, across all sectors. I look forward to working closely with Will over the coming months to ensure a seamless transition. Under Will’s leadership the firm has undergone significant development, strengthening our global partnership and deepening long-term client relationships. I am excited to build on this momentum with colleagues across our network.”