BNP Paribas Real Estate has appointed Leighton Thomas as Head of UK Lease Advisory.
Leighton, who has enjoyed a career at BNP Paribas Real Estate spanning over 25 years and currently serves as Head of the Northern Region and the Sheffield office, has expanded his remit to lead the national lease advisory team, as it advises across all real estate asset types.
Thomas’s career has seen him successfully lead the Sheffield team into the position of one of the leading agents in the city, growing to a total of over 20 employees with its valuation team almost tripling this year alone. In his role as Northern Head, he has additionally driven the growth of the Newcastle and Leeds offices alongside their respective office heads. Having worked within Lease Advisory for the entirety of his career, his newly enhanced role will see him lead the team in providing tailored solutions to its clients to achieve the most favourable settlements across the life cycle of a commercial lease.
Stephen Wolfe, Head of Commercial at BNP Paribas Real Estate commented: “Leighton has consistently provided our clients with a first-class professional service, adding significant value to their businesses, and contributed to the enduring success of our teams in his multifaceted role across his tenure. As the lease advisory market inevitably heats up further with space requirements becoming amongst the most varied, we have ever witnessed as an industry, we have appointed him to lead our team into new territories in response to the needs of our current and rapidly expanding client base.”
Leighton Thomas, Head of Northern Region, and Lease Advisory at BNP Paribas Real Estate commented: “The landlord-tenant relationship has changed exponentially, and as such, the lease advisory space has become much more flexible in terms of the options available to both parties – this is where effective representation comes into play. Stepping into this additional role, my team’s knowledgeable, market-based advice will prime clients to make optimal decisions that deliver the best possible cost savings and value.”
The news of Leighton’s appointment to lead one of the UK’s largest lease advisory teams follows Steph McMahon stepping into the newly created role as Head of Strategy and Vanessa Hale taking up the position of Head of Research and Insights, signalling BNP Paribas Real Estate’s continued drive to connect clients with opportunities and sustainable property solutions through expert advice, insight, and financial acumen, supporting them to create long term outperformance and value in a changing world.