The Partners
Our partner-led, multi-disciplined management team with distinct yet integrated functions has more than 200 years combined experience in commercial property investment.
Our approach combines in-house expertise with a wider network of trusted external specialists and joint venture partnerships. This along with our size and focus, allows us to react quickly and effectively to prime opportunities, recruiting market/segment specialists as required. The Senior Management Team regularly invests alongside our clients.
Mark Shaw
Mark Shaw FCA
Chairman
Mark is the Chairman of the Manager. He has played a prominent role in the development and marketing of property investments benefiting from government sponsored tax reliefs such as enterprise zone property unit trusts, business premises renovation allowances and capital allowances generally. He is highly experienced in a range of commercial, banking and investment operations attained while working as general manager to a major Kuwaiti investment bank in the late 1970s and 1980s. Returning to the UK in 1985, Mark joined a team initiating investment in the newly created enterprise zones which in due course became a subsidiary of London and Edinburgh Trust plc. Mark later established Collective Investments Limited to continue this activity which became the Tritax Group in 1995.
Colin Godfrey
Colin Godfrey BSc, MRICS
Partner, CEO Fund Management
Colin has overall responsibility for the provision of investment management and advisory services to the Company and is lead partner of the Manager. Colin began his career with Barclays Bank before joining Conran Roche in the late 1980s. Following this, Colin took a degree in Urban Estate Management before training with Weatherall Green and Smith (now BNP Paribas Real Estate). Following qualification as a chartered surveyor, Colin specialised in portfolio fund management with particular responsibility for the £1 billion assets of the British Gas Staff Pension Scheme and the property assets of Blue Circle pension fund. In 2000, Colin was a founding director of niche investment property agent SG Commercial (along with James Dunlop) in which capacity he worked increasingly closely with the Tritax Group. In 2004, Colin became a partner of the Tritax Group and is responsible for investment selection and product development. Colin is one of the founding partners of the Manager and the Investment Adviser.
James Dunlop
James Dunlop BSc MRICS
Partner, CEO Investment
James has overall responsibility for the identifying, sourcing and structuring of suitable investment assets for the Company. James read Property Valuation and Finance at City University before joining Weatherall Green and Smith (now BNP Paribas Real Estate) where he qualified as a chartered surveyor in their Investment Development and Agency division in 1991. In 2000, James jointly formed SG Commercial (with Colin Godfrey) and became a partner in the Tritax Group in 2005. In his role with SG Commercial, James is regularly in contact with all the leading firms of agents and is retained by both foreign and domestic institutions and wealthy individuals to acquire and dispose of commercial property investments. James is responsible for identifying sectors and specific properties, negotiating on approved opportunities and handling the disposal of assets in due course. Along with Colin, James is one of the founding partners of the Manager and the Investment Adviser.
Henry Franklin
Henry Franklin BA, CTA
Partner, COO
Henry is responsible for the structuring of the Tritax Group funds, providing general legal counsel and overseeing compliance activities. Henry is a qualified solicitor who completed his articles with Ashurst LLP in 2001 specialising in taxation, mergers and acquisitions. He also qualified as a chartered tax adviser in 2004 before moving to Fladgate LLP in 2005, where he became a partner in 2007. At Fladgate LLP, Henry specialised in the structuring of commercial property funds. Henry joined the Tritax Group in 2008.
Petrina Austin
Petrina Austin BSc, MRICS
Partner, Asset Management
Petrina is responsible for the strategic management of the investment portfolio, identifying and progressing value enhancing initiatives, so as to protect and maximise investor returns. She is also responsible for all client reporting, liaison with funders and the management of third party professionals. Following a degree in Estate Management from Reading University, Petrina joined Carter Jonas to continue her professional training where she qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1998. Petrina moved to King Sturge in 1999 to concentrate on institutional portfolio management. As a partner at Knight Frank from 2002, Petrina was responsible for the team managing central London trophy assets. Her remit also included development consultancy appointments, both in the UK and overseas.Petrina joined the Tritax Group in 2007.
Bjorn Hobart
Bjorn Hobart MA, BSc(Hons), MRICS
Partner, Investment
Bjorn is responsible for identifying and sourcing suitable investments for the Company and then financially modelling and appraising the returns to establish the validity within the context of the portfolio assets. He also manages the day-to-day due diligence during the acquisition process. After completing a degree in Geography from the University of Leeds in 2001, Bjorn started his career at Faber Maunsell (now AECOM). Having gained exposure to large scale developments, Bjorn went on to undertake an MA in Property Valuation and Law at Cass Business School, London. Bjorn undertook his professional training at Atisreal (now BNP Real Estate) in London, where he qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 2005. In 2007, Bjorn joined SG Commercial LLP where he advised on large scale investment and development transactions in excess of £500 million. During this time, Bjorn worked closely with Tritax Group advising on their portfolio acquisitions and disposals. Bjorn joined the Tritax Group in 2011.
Tim Legge
Tim Legge MSc, MRICS
Partner, Fund Manager
Tim joined Tritax in 2015 as the Fund Manager of the Tritax Property Income Fund, with overall responsibility for strategy and leading the team in implementing the Fund’s objectives. After graduating with a degree in Politics and Economics Tim began his property career with Hillier Parker (now CBRE) in Scotland, before qualifying in 1995 and moving to London to join Gartmore Property Asset Management (now Lothbury Investment Management), as part of the asset management and development team, later leading the marketing and investor relations team for the Lothbury Property Trust from 2000. In 2005 Tim structured and launched the KBC European Property Fund, a pan-European fund of funds, investing €160 million. In 2007 Tim joined RREEF (now DWS) as a real estate product specialist for UK and Europe. Tim became a partner of the Tritax Group in 2020.
Nick Preston
Nick Preston BSc, MRICS
Partner, Fund Manager
Nick joined Tritax in September 2017 and brings extensive experience at managing portfolios of commercial real estate across the UK and continental Europe. Prior to joining the Tritax Group in September 2017, he worked for Grosvenor Europe with responsibility for the management of approximately €2.5 billion of real estate assets in the UK, France, Sweden, Italy and Spain. Prior to this, he held the position of senior director at CBRE Global Investors, with responsibility for the management of a wide range of portfolios, including separate accounts, pooled funds and fund of funds portfolios. Nick became a partner of the Tritax Group in 2020.
James Watson
James Watson MRICS
Partner, Fund Manager
James joined Tritax in January 2020 and brings 27 years’ experience operating in the retail property capital markets. James began his career in occupational agency with Cushman & Wakefield in 1993 and subsequently moved into capital markets at Jones Lang LaSalle. In 2005 he set up the capital markets team at BCL which was acquired by Colliers International in 2014 leading to his appointment as Colliers’ Head of Retail Capital Markets. He has experience in all the retail sub-sectors and is a leading expert in the UK grocery sector, sale & leaseback transactions and post-digital retail. James is a member of the RICS, IPF and Accessible Retail. James became a partner of the Tritax Group in 2020.
Frankie Whitehead
Frankie Whitehead ACA
Partner, Finance Director, Tritax Big Box
Frankie joined Tritax in 2014 following the launch of Tritax Big Box REIT plc (BBOX). He is responsible for all aspects of finance in relation to the company including strategy, reporting, investor relations and debt issuance. Prior to joining Tritax Frankie spent three years as Financial Controller at Primary Health Properties Plc (PHP), a healthcare-focussed REIT, which had total AUM of just under £1 billion. He trained and qualified as a chartered accountant with PKF (UK) LLP, which subsequently merged with BDO LLP, where he acted as Assistant Manager. Frankie became a partner of the Tritax Group in 2020.
Charlie Withers
Charlie Withers BSc, MRICS
Partner, Development Director
Charlie joined Tritax in September 2017 and is responsible for overseeing the Company’s development activities and asset management initiatives across the portfolio. In 2009, Charlie co-founded Cedarwood Asset Management, focusing on industrial asset management and development. Prior to this, from 2001 he was a director at Chancerygate, a UK industrial development and asset management firm, where he co-ordinated sales, lettings legal and marketing activity across the company. Charlie started his property career at Strutt & Parker in 1989, working in the Business Space team, subsequently becoming an Associate Partner and was involved in setting up its award winning Industrial Agency department. Charlie became a partner of the Tritax Group in 2020.
