A new trade body for the real estate industry has announced that Vanessa Hale will be its founding chief executive.
Hale will join Real Estate UK in July and joins from BNP Paribas Real Estate where she was head of research & strategy and a member of the UK executive leadership team.
Hale has more than 20 years of experience in research and strategy within the built environment, providing advisory services on complex projects across various asset classes such as the build-to-rent, office, retail and industrial sectors.
The merger of the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF), British Property Federation and Investment Property Forum is expected to complete on 30 April 2026, following a unanimous vote last year across the organisations’ memberships to create a single voice for the UK real estate sector.
The new organisation will represent the whole of the real estate sector, comprising institutional and private investors, property companies, developers, asset owners, managers and advisers.
Its activities will be based around six pillars: advocacy; research and data; thought leadership and innovation; networking and events; upskilling and training; and standards and guidance.
The body’s board will initially be chaired by Anne Breen, global head of real estate at Aberdeen and current AREF Chair, and will include industry representatives nominated by each organisation.
Said Breen: “Vanessa will be a powerful advocate for UK real estate and is ideally placed to lead the new organisation as it brings the industry together with a single, authoritative voice. I’m certain her commitment to sustainability, diversity and supporting the next generation of talent will set a strong and progressive direction for the industry.”
Prior to joining Strutt & Parker (later acquired by BNP Real Estate), Hale worked in the United States, focussing on Chicago office market analysis and corporate workspace strategies.
She has served on the Commercial Property Forum of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and has been been a member of the Property Industry Alliance board.
