Ep 112 - Derek Williams - Growth, Mentors and Risk

In this episode, Nick Carman is joined by Derek Williams, Managing Director for Investor Relations at the Valesco Group. He has raised and deployed (either as a principal or advisor) circa $8 billion of capital over his career to date, which has been invested across real estate and private market strategies in Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. Derek shares his journey from his early days in research to his senior roles in investment management with companies like Landsec, Global Student Accommodation, and Rothschild, leading up to his current position at Valesco Group. The conversation covers his career milestones, the challenges he faced, his leadership philosophy, and his continuous quest for learning and growth.

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Key Points:

• Introduction to Derek Williams (00:00:00)
• Nick introduces Derek Williams and provides an overview of his career.
• Early Career and Interest in Real Estate (00:00:32)
• Derek discusses his initial interest in the real estate market during his school days in the 1980s.
• Learning from Mentors (00:03:16)
• Derek reflects on the values and professionalism he learned from his early mentors.
• Transition to Investment Management (00:04:16)
• Derek explains his move to investment management and his decision to pursue a master's degree at Cass Business School.
• Joining IPD and Early Management Experience (00:06:42)
• Derek discusses his role at IPD, managing a team, and the challenges he faced in his early management days.
• Role at Land Securities (00:09:13)
• Derek talks about his transition to Land Securities, working with Francis Solway, and the lessons he learned during this period.
• Expanding Horizons to Global Markets (00:14:00)
• Derek shares his desire to globalize his experience and his subsequent move to Russell Investments.
• Experiences at Russell Investments (00:16:00)
• Derek discusses launching global REIT products, his mentors, and his leadership experiences in the US.
• Entrepreneurial Ventures (00:21:00)
• Derek talks about reconnecting with his entrepreneurial spirit and his roles at B Finance and Global Student Accommodation.
• Current Role at Valesco Group (00:28:27)
• Derek describes his current role at Valesco Group, the company's unique approach, and his focus on growth and team spirit.
• Personal Reflections on Success (00:30:11)
• Derek shares his thoughts on success, the importance of learning, and maintaining personal relationships in his career.

Conclusion: Derek Williams shares valuable insights into his career journey, highlighting the importance of continuous learning, mentorship, and taking calculated risks. His experiences offer a blueprint for aspiring real estate professionals looking to accelerate their careers.

Sponsor: This podcast is brought to you by MacDonald and Company, the global real estate recruiter. Don't forget to click follow and leave a rating to ensure you never miss an episode.

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