The Crown Estate appoints Simon Harding-Roots as MD for London portfolio

The Crown Estate has appointed former Grosvenor Britain and Ireland Executive Director Simon Harding-Roots as Managing Director for its London portfolio, commencing from September.

Harding-Roots led the major projects team at Grosvenor, delivering major real estate investment and regeneration projects across London worth around £2 billion.

Dan Labbad, Chief Executive of The Crown Estate, said: “The Crown Estate’s iconic London portfolio has an important role to play in supporting the capital’s post-pandemic recovery over the coming years, and Simon brings both purpose and a wealth of expertise to support this endeavour. I am pleased that Simon is joining us and we look forward to welcoming him to The Crown Estate next month.”

Harding-Roots commented: “While the last 18 months have brought huge levels of challenge and structural change to our industry, and London more generally, this is an exciting time for The Crown Estate and its iconic West End portfolio.

“I look forward to working with its customers and partners in responding to ever-evolving demands, and joining The Crown Estate as it steps up to some of the shared challenges we face as a society over the years ahead.”

Prior to joining Grosvenor in 2015, Harding-Roots held a number of roles across London and the property sector, including as Chief Operations Officer at Imperial College London. He has also held senior roles within the international property market, including with Treasury Holdings Group in China, Arcapita Bank in Bahrain and Majid Al Futtaim in Dubai, UAE.

With 10 million square foot of office, retail, dining, leisure and residential space in London, including across Regent Street and St James’s, The Crown Estate is one of the West End’s largest property owners, with a diverse customer base and a portfolio currently valued at £7.7 billion.