People
Professionals who can deliver and take care of the detail
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Agie Murach-Stepnowska
What are you responsible for?
I have responsibility for ensuring Waypoint’s support functions meet the ongoing operational needs of the business, as well as longer-term strategies and goals. I assist the Operations Director in fulfilling the company’s legal obligations including sustainability, compliance, and business administration. I am also a member of Waypoint’s Sustainability Committee.
What’s your background?
My background is in training and education. After graduating from university in Poland, I spent several years teaching RE & PE in public schools. Before joining Waypoint, I worked for a private training company. Over my 10 years at Waypoint, I’ve developed strong capabilities in operations, compliance, and ESG. For the past five years, I’ve specialised in sustainability, focusing primarily on ESG reporting and net‑zero carbon.
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Andrew Appleyard
What are you responsible for?
I advise on residential development, investment and retrofitting. I also provide strategic advice to the wider Waypoint business on all their residential portfolios.
What’s your background?
I have worked in the property industry for over 30 years and, having trained as a chartered surveyor at Healey & Baker, I joined AMP/Henderson as a portfolio manager focusing on retail assets. I then moved to Aviva Investors to lead their out-of-town retail team; finally heading up the Specialist Real Estate Funds team which operated in both the commercial and residential sectors.
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Barry Hill
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for the day-to-day asset management on the Waypoint Essential Stores Fund, the Waypoint Government Income Fund and two regional shopping centres. I focus on identifying and delivering value-add initiatives, including leasing and refurbishments, and implementing the Company’s sustainability strategy.amaz
What's your background?
I have worked in the property industry for 30 years. Having trained as a chartered surveyor at NFU Mutual. I joined Aberdeen Property Investors as an asset manager focusing on retail assets. I then moved to Aviva Investors, managing retail warehouse and shopping centre funds before leading the UK asset management team.
Prior to joining Waypoint in 2024, I was an Associate Director at Catella APAM focused on shopping centre asset management.
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Bill Heaney
What are you responsible for?
I advise the Board on compliance, regulatory and HR matters across the business. I chair Waypoint’s Regulations and Compliance Committee.
What’s your background?
I have over 30 years’ experience in the property sector, holding senior executive positions within advisory practices, regulated investment managers and in the REIT environment.
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Chris Kelly
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for originating new lending opportunities for Waypoint’s real estate finance business, structuring transactions and managing them through to drawdown. I also oversee the initial due diligence process and the ongoing management of the lending portfolio.
What's your background?
I have 30+ years’ experience in real estate banking for a variety of mainstream property lenders, investment banks, and specialist debt funds. Prior to joining Waypoint, I worked as Director Real Estate Finance at Santander and Barclays banks, and held other positions at Deutsche Bank, AIB and Alvarium.
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Chris Moulden
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for transaction and asset management across the Waypoint Group, and I play a leading role in shaping and delivering the Group’s sustainability strategy. I also lead special projects across the Waypoint Group. I am a member of the Waypoint Board and the Sustainability Committee, and I serve as a Director of Waypoint Investment Management Limited.
What’s your background?
I have worked in the property industry since 1996, having qualified as a chartered surveyor before joining Haslemere Estates Plc as an asset manager working on a £1.5bn mixed use commercial portfolio. Following this, I moved to Castlemore Securities and then the Local Shopping REIT as Head of Asset Management, before joining Waypoint as one of the founding directors.
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Chris Pratt
What are you responsible for?
I lead on several of Waypoint’s funds, focusing on long income investments in the governmental and related sectors, including student accommodation, healthcare and housing. I am also a director of Waypoint Investment Management Limited and a member of its Investment Committee.
What’s your background?
I have 40 years’ experience in UK and international real estate; having started my career at Jones Lang Wootton in Kuala Lumpur. I joined Waypoint in 2015 after many years in real estate finance with King Sturge and JLL; principally creating public-private joint ventures to deliver social infrastructure and wide-area regeneration.
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Chris Wilton
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities to support the business’s strategic growth objectives. I focus on expanding market presence and creating strong client relationships. I am also involved in transaction management across the business.
What’s your background?
I have worked in the property industry since 2015, having qualified as a chartered surveyor at Cushman & Wakefield, before joining Knight Frank working in its fund valuation team. I joined Waypoint in 2020 as an asset manager.
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Emma Kendall
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for the efficient functioning of the London office, involving a range of administration systems and ensuring the smooth running of the office on a day-to-day basis. I’m also involved in marketing the business, including updating the group’s social media profile and website.
What’s your background?
My background includes five years in hospitality having worked in restaurants and at a resort business. I also have a first-class degree in drama, theatre and performance and joined Waypoint in 2022.
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Hector Butcher
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for the onboarding, asset, and transaction management of several mandates across the Waypoint Group. My responsibilities include carrying out due-diligence and identifying value add opportunities throughout the transaction process.
What's your background?
I have worked in the property industry since 2018, and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor at Network Rail, before joining BNP Paribas to work on the Government Property Agency contract. In this role I was the point of contact on the Government hubs development program as well as advising on leasing and freehold transactions.
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Jon Leefe
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for investment analysis and underwriting across the business; this involves preparing cashflows, undertaking credit analysis, structuring, and drafting Investment Committee papers.
What's your background?
I have 4 years of experience working across investment advisory, real estate, and lending. Prior to joining Waypoint, I was working at Camdor Global Advisors, providing investment advisory and due diligence services to local authorities. I have experience working with equity and debt across a variety of sectors, including real estate, private debt, and restructuring.
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Jonny Waller
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for the asset management of the Local Retail Fund and Waypoint Health Properties portfolio. I focus on identifying and delivering value-add initiatives and implementing the sustainability strategy. I am also involved in the acquisitions and disposals program.
What’s your background?
I have over seven years’ experience working as an asset manager at Waypoint having previously achieved a master’s degree with Distinction in real estate investment and finance at Henley Business School.
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Kirstyn Rutter
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for the business’s internal operations, HR, governance and corporate administration. I am also involved in the real estate finance business and serve as a member of the real estate finance investment committee.
What’s your background?
I have 16 years experience of working in real estate at Cushman & Wakefield, Local Shopping REIT and moved to Waypoint in 2013 as one of its founding members. I have experience in investment transactions, sourcing real estate debt in the UK and Europe, deal structuring and asset management.
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Lewis Wheatman
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for the analysis of new lending opportunities, and transaction management. I also assist with property asset management across a range of client mandates.
What's your background?
I have worked in the property industry since 2015, qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor at BNP Paribas Real Estate in 2018. I then joined CBRE in their international valuation team with a particular focus on European fund valuations. Later I joined Montagu Evans’ valuation advisory team, working with both public and private sector clients. I joined Waypoint in 2023 to support the newly launched Real Estate Finance team.
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Mark Charlton
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for real estate research and updating the business with ‘need to know’ economic and market data on a weekly basis. I support all areas of the business with written research, analysis and source relevant data and commentary as required.
What’s your background?
I have over 40 years’ experience in UK and international real estate research and consulting and have developed deep knowledge across a number of sectors. This involved working for a major retailer, two institutional funds, a duo of real estate advisors and a global professional services business.
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Mark Richards
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for origination and managing a wide range of clients within the residential real estate market. Alongside my colleagues, I am involved in the full acquisition process from site identification to the overall viability process. I am adept at building client relationships with both private sector and government bodies, including local authorities and social housing providers.
What’s your background?
I started out in construction with a family firm and then went on to work with Henry Boot, Morrison Construction and the Mace Group. During this time, I became involved in property development and have delivered retail and residential projects in Ireland, Italy Germany and Poland.
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Melanie Fern
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for running the daily accounts and management of financial systems and controls. I work closely with external managing agents on delivering financial reporting for Waypoint and its clients.
What’s your background?
I have worked in the property accounting industry since 1997 from a managing agent perspective, with Matthews & Goodman until 2002 and with Eddisons up until 2015. I transferred to the client side of asset and property management and corporate accounting when I joined Waypoint, also in 2015.
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Michael Kenney
What are you responsible for?
I assist the team in identifying and developing new business opportunities for Waypoint’s real estate finance business. I also advise on complex structuring for development and investment loans. I sit on the real estate finance investment committee.
What’s your background?
I have over 35 years’ experience in banking, primarily within real estate finance. Most recently, I served as Managing Director and Head of UK Business Development at a sector-specialist German mortgage bank, leading the London-based team focused on originating large-ticket commercial property loans for corporate, private equity, and institutional investors. I have extensive experience across UK and European markets, spanning multiple property cycles and asset classes - including office, retail, industrial, logistics, and rented residential - across both development and investment financing within complex structures.
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Mike Riley
What are you responsible for?
I am a property professional with over 30 years’ experience in both direct real estate and real estate debt markets. I am responsible for business strategy, focusing on new business initiatives for the Waypoint Group and financial structuring, capital raising and debt origination. I am also a director of Waypoint Investment Management Ltd.
What’s your background?
I established the Waypoint business jointly with Nick Gregory in 2013, following the purchase of the fund and asset management business from Local Shopping REIT where I had been Joint CEO from 2007. Before that I was a director of Castlemore Securities, having previously held senior positions at Quintain, Hypobank and Chesterton International.
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Nick Gregory
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for real estate investments across the Waypoint Group and for portfolio performance, client reporting and asset management strategy. I have overall responsibility for sustainability matters and I am a director of Waypoint Investment Management Ltd and chair its Investment Committee.
What’s your background?
I have worked in the property industry since 1993, having trained as a chartered surveyor at Chesterton International. Following this, I joined UBS Global Asset Management as an asset manager, later becoming a director and member of the property investment committee. In 2002, I moved to Castlemore Securities where I was a director until 2005, when I became joint CEO of Local Shopping REIT.
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Patrick Smith
What are you responsible for?
I am the Waypoint Group CFO with responsibility for all financial control, planning, risk management and tax matters for the Group and the funds under its management. I sit on the Waypoint board, and I am a director of Waypoint Investment Management Limited.
What’s your background?
I qualified as a Chartered Accountant at BDO and now have more than 25 years’ experience in the property sector, gained at Capital & Regional, Westfield and Lee Baron. I have expertise in capital appraisals, raising real estate debt and in tax and financial structuring.
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Paul Dennis-Jones
What are you responsible for?
I support Waypoint in shaping its business strategy, developing new products, and raising capital, with a particular focus on the residential sector. Previously, I built a £2.5bn platform from inception over a 13-year period at PGIM Real Estate.
What’s your background?
I have over 30 years of experience in the property sector. Prior to my tenure at PGIM Real Estate, I held roles at UBS Global Asset Management, PwC, and CBRE Investment Management. My expertise spans direct investment, fund management, strategy and product development, capital raising, joint ventures and financing structures, and development across both mainstream and alternative property types and risk profiles. I am a Chartered Surveyor and a CFA Charterholder.
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Spencer Kenyon
What are you responsible for?
I advise on the property and asset management of Waypoint’s healthcare assets.
What’s your background?
I have over 40 years’ experience in property, working initially in property management, becoming head of property management for St Quintin in Manchester, before joining Barlows PLC in 1997 as head of asset management. In 2006 I moved to Assura PLC, a healthcare REIT, as Head of Portfolio Management, joining Waypoint Health Property when it was formed in 2019.
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Stuart Scobie
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for originating new lending opportunities for Waypoint’s real estate finance business, with a particular emphasis on residential bridging finance across the UK and Europe.
What’s your background?
I have over 25 years’ experience in real estate, and having started my career in construction, I moved to a large family office for eight years where I asset managed properties on several large portfolios across all sectors in the UK and Europe. In 2007 I set up a niche investment agency and in 2010 ran a business providing advice to small family offices, property companies and institutions with a strong focus on distressed properties.
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Tatiana Babul
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for financial modelling, data aggregation, interpretation and analysis across Waypoint’s funds and property portfolios. I support the fund management team with client reporting. I am responsible for financial modelling for prospective property acquisitions.
What’s your background?
I have 13 years’ experience working in the property industry. In 2010 I joined Local Shopping REIT where I assisted with periodic reporting and investment appraisals, and was one of Waypoint’s initial team members.
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Tom Crosthwaite
What are you responsible for?
I am part of the asset management team responsible for the Local Retail Fund and the management of two shopping centres. My responsibilities include identifying and implementing asset management opportunities across the portfolio, including refurbishments, leasing, value-add and sustainability projects. I am also involved in the acquisitions and disposals process.
What’s your background?
I have ten years’ experience in the retail and leisure sectors, having initially worked as a commercial agent on behalf of both landlords and tenants for CF Commercial and CDG Leisure. I then made the move into asset management; looking after the commercial portfolios of Grainger PLC before joining Waypoint.
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Tom Maskell
What are you responsible for?
I am responsible for originating new lending opportunities for Waypoint’s real estate finance business, structuring and taking these through to drawdown. I support the wider team with the initial due diligence and management of ongoing lending.
What’s your background?
I qualified as a chartered surveyor in 2003 and have over 20 years’ experience in commercial property investment and development. I also have over a decade of experience in real estate finance, particularly within the residential development market. My career started at LSH and I also worked at C&W before setting up as a consultant in 2007.