The Revo Awards, held last night at one of London’s newest development and regeneration spaces, Battersea Power Station, honour and celebrate those who are adapting and leading the way forward. At it’s core, The Revo’s is all about celebrating excellence and recognition for the outstanding people, places and spaces who have demonstrated excellence in the built environment.
Among stiff competition, Christina Beggan, Director Asset Management, is this year’s new Rising Star. She is part of a new generation of asset managers; young, highly dynamic, and commercially minded. She can discuss technical details and carry out in-depth financial analysis in addition to developing new space, curating the ideal tenant mix and leasing shops.
Christina led the unlocking of Bradford town centre, she took on the management of The Broadway with a vacancy of 15%/ 85% occupancy (now 100%). Masterminded a deal whereby Primark relocated to Broadway into a new £5.5m development within the old Debenhams building; this facilitated a contribution towards the Council buying the failing Kirkgate to enable wider town centre regeneration. This was a transaction that has been talked of for years. Westfield & Mark group failed to achieve it in over a decade. It only took Christina 6 months which is a remarkable achievement; through thorough and careful analysis, myriad relationships, and persuasion, she was determined to transform Bradford and she made it a reality.
But she isn’t just a problem solver and a deal-doer.
Having worked her way from a junior property manager at Workman to recently promoted asset management director at Ellandi, Christina has a strong work ethic, is highly driven and has an eye for detail.
Christina led a team that developed a business plan identifying new business opportunities for Ellandi to expand its platform into Ireland. Through market research, stakeholder identification, relationship building, financial acumen and confidence, she presented a strong business case to potential investors, resulting in new and ongoing acquisition and asset management opportunities in a fresh market.
Christina is a trusted adviser to investors and various banks on distressed loans and new lending opportunities. Advising a debt fund on the financing of a retail park and advising a bank on the management and sale of a struggling shopping centre. She was instrumental in developing a detailed month-by-month cash flow model to manage client finances during the 2020-21 lockdown when rent and service charges ceased flowing. She is also currently providing strategic advice to the senior leadership team of a Local Authority regarding the potential forfeiture of a shopping centre head lease opposite a hostile long leaseholder with the aim of achieving smooth and efficient onboarding and asset management deliverables.
Christina has become an expert in the technical arena of CVA’s and restructuring plans. She is part of the BPF Insolvency Committee, involved in assessing the industry responses to CVA/Restructuring proposals from New Look, Clarks, The Restaurant Group, Aspinal, Moss Bros, Café Nero, Select, Pizza Hut, Travel Lodge, NCP and the recent Wilko consultations. She regularly consults with Government and insolvency practitioners to improve fairness and transparency for landlords affected by occupancy insolvency. A regular speaker on this topic, she’s become an expert in this area and is one of 5 female members representing an overall group of 25 comprising private equity investors, property companies, solicitors, accountants, and insolvency practitioners as well as representatives from the Insolvency Service and Government.
Christina is an active member of the Real Estate Women group, regularly contributing to round table discussions focusing on important issues, including the gender pay gap; diversity and inclusivity within the industry as well as championing these initiatives internally. She’s making her mark and forges relationships and shares ideas with her peers.
Despite a busy day job, social interaction, inclusivity, and diversity is high on the agenda for Christina. She leads Ellandi’s social committee, and devises and delivers a successful programme of quarterly events, which includes partnering with a variety of market contacts to deliver industry learning and development, as well as fun team-building activities.
Christina led Ellandi’s summer internship programme which addresses the undeniable barriers that exclude some members of society from entering the Real Estate profession. She coached, mentored, and guided two bright and enthusiastic interns and provided opportunities for them to experience a role in property. Activities included hosting meetings, attending site visits, drafting reports, attending workshops, delivering presentations, meeting clients, and experiencing all aspects of day-to-day life in asset management.
Christina oversees social impact strategies, ensuring plans are implemented and adhered to. She leads the on-site teams to implement various environmental initiatives such as reduction in energy consumption, waste management and improvement of recycling performance and rainwater harvesting, resulting in numerous Revo Green Apple and Gold Green Apple awards.
Christina recognises that asset managing a successful shopping centre is much more than just running the numbers. Her values are closely aligned with Ellandi’s and she is actively demonstrating her commitment to create the UK’s most inclusive and sustainable communities. Community engagement, sustainability, city-wide events, and supporting social enterprise initiatives are part of her approach to ensuring that the offer is truly diverse and inclusive.
A natural leader with a passion for making a difference, she motivates, drives excellence, and collaborates with cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholders to deliver real results.
This is what a modern asset manager looks like. Highly specialised knowledge, focus on detail and quantitative analytics and the personality and commerciality to build relationships, create trust, provide advice, and make deals happen. Very few of Christina’s peer group have her breadth of knowledge and experience across property and asset management nor her technical skills. Amazing what a down-to-earth girl from Belfast has achieved by the age of 33. She is redefining what the standard and skills look like within the retail assets management community.
To recognise the contribution that Christina makes to the Ellandi business, the communities in which we serve and the wider real estate family, in June 23, Ellandi promoted Christina to director in the asset management team; the youngest director in the company.
