Godwin Developments Capability Statement
Godwin Developments “Godwin” is a management owned real estate investment and development advisory firm. Our mission is to deliver superior, risk-adjusted returns to our investors on a consistent and long-term basis.
We have selected certain niche sectors of the UK and European real estate market to invest in over the medium term. Our selection process is driven in a hands-on manner by our core management team and is based on substantial market knowledge and experience to ensure that each sector meets with the investment objectives of our firm.
Our choice of projects within our selected sectors is driven by the potential for selected projects to provide significant development opportunities and investment returns on a stand-alone basis as well as to provide portfolio returns over the medium to long term. As part of our overall ethos, we seek to play an active role in project management, development and asset management in all our investments.
Directors of Godwin are co-investors in all transactions advised on by the firm.
Our Capabilities
Our core capabilities are in execution. This is as much to do with the way we structure our involvement in every project we invest in, as it is to do with our own requirement of rigour at every stage of the process. We partner with only the best-in-class players on specific projects on an open tender basis. This allows us not only to invite the best professionals to work with us but also to drive the most long-term value for our clients and for ourselves.
Our commitment and involvement right from deal origination through to practical completion and through to asset management makes us unique in the niche sectors that we operate in. It provides all our partners at every stage of the process a sense of comfort that they will be dealing directly with our firm for all project-related decisions.
Our Investment Strategy
Risk management is at the core of our investment strategy. Having positioned ourselves in high-return sectors of the market, we seek to significantly de-risk our investments through the manner in which we structure and finance our transactions. Aligning our partnership’s interests with those of our clients makes us stand apart from our competitors who are often only advisors and not investors.
UK & European Student Accommodation
Godwin is currently focused on taking through a number of schemes in this sector. The significant structural shortages of modern, purpose-built student accommodation available to universities together with the market fundamentals of this sector, makes this an interesting niche for our investors. The financial characteristic of long-term secured income fits with Godwin’s overall investment strategy.
Our focus is on schemes that are well within the demand range of beds from proximate campuses/ faculties, and on those that have a strong, long-term locational advantage within each university town. A major strength of our delivery proposition is that we seek to enter into early dialogue with the universities / colleges where we are positioned to supply stock. Our preferred approach is to work in close partnership with the institution in order to develop a mutually acceptable nominations agreement whereby we may secure long-term lettings income and the institution benefits from predictably well-priced stock becoming available to its student community. However, we do understand that this may not be suitable for all the institutions that we transact with.
Our Team
We are a small and effective management team consisting of individuals with over twenty-five years of business/ entrepreneurial experience.
Our hands-on management philosophy ensures that all partners are fully involved in the decision-making
and in the running of the firm. Our selective recruitment strategy is driven by our business needs, and is currently evolving as we recruit’ Sector Specialists’ in the niches that we are focused to invest in over the long term.
In addition to our in-house capabilities, we engage best-in-class players who share our mindset in terms of executional rigour and high performance standards to work with us on each of our projects. We believe that teaming up with professionals who have proved to be successful in their own areas of specialization brings beneficial insights that drive projects to reach their full potential in terms of long term investment assets.
Stephen J. Pratt
Stephen graduated from Aston University’s European Business School in 2002 with a 2:1 degree. Since then Stephen has been working as a development director in various property teams across the UK.
Having founded Godwin Developments in 2003, Stephen is now working on several large student bed schemes with various universities and direct let agreements.
His specialist field is identifying and researching the new growth markets in both the UK and European property sectors.
Stuart P. Pratt
Stuart graduated from Newcastle University with a 2:2 degree. Since then Stuart has been working as a development director in the Channel Islands and London. Having co-founded Godwin Developments in 2003, Stuart has been working on the Retail and Care-Home sector in the UK.
His specialist field is investment management and maximising the profit on each deal.
Greg Flint
Greg has been working as a chartered accountant since 1990.
Greg joined Godwin in 2006 as the group’s finance director and is in charge of the investment portfolio and funding stream for the group of companies.
His specialist field is taxation and company mergers and acquisitions.
Maximilian C.W. Kwan
Max graduated from Loughborough University with 2:1 degree. Since then Max has been working as a development manager for Redrow Homes PLC and moved to Godwin in 2008.
Max works behind both Stephen & Stuart and brings both technical and corporate experience to the team.
