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Since 2012, outstanding individuals working in the residential property sector have been recognised and celebrated at Property Week‘s annual RESI Awards.
Read on to learn about the brilliantly talented people featured since the initiative began. Citations below summarise comments published at the time of the award.
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2025
Ian Fletcher
Fletcher has been a key figure at the British Property Federation (BPF) since joining the organisation in 2002, having previously served as head of policy and chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce. His work at the BPF has ensured the residential sector has become a major institutional asset class.
His achievements are many and significant. In 2012, Fletcher was a key contributor to the Montague Review, a government report that explored how to remove the barriers to long-term investment in purpose-designed homes for rent. The report’s recommendations were adopted by government and it is widely seen as a foundation stone of the build-to-rent sector. He also focused on the student accommodation market and has been involved with the student codes for many years – a set of guidelines intended to improve the quality and safety of student housing – which have helped unlock institutional investment in the asset class.
Our judges said: “Ian Fletcher has been a driving force behind some of the most significant policy developments in our sector. He has worked tirelessly to bring together policymakers, industry leaders and communities – always with integrity, insight and a collaborative spirit. As he retires after 22 years of service, we are proud to recognise his outstanding legacy.”
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2024
Debra Yudolph
Debra Yudolph is the founder and CEO of highly-respected, independent consultancy firm SAY Property. She has more than 25 years’ experience as a leading expert in residential property and asset management and has led the way in spaces such as build-to-rent, placemaking, regeneration and industry innovation.
She also launched the ground-breaking ‘Do Some Good’ platform to offer and receive pro bono and voluntary support between charities and the real estate sector to drive social change.
One panellist noted: “Debra has navigated a difficult year maintaining an impeccable standard of performance and offering great advice to her clients while being a great and nurturing leader for her employees.
“Debra has been at the forefront of the residential sector for many years and SAY are seen as market leaders and are one of the truly independent and credible consultants in the market at the moment.”
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2023
Roger Madelin
Madelin has been at the forefront of some of the UK’s most ambitious developments of the past 30 years. Today, he is joint head of British Land’s Canada Water development, which will create a new high street and town square as well as up to 3,000 new net zero carbon homes and 2m sq ft of workspace on a 53-acre site in south-east London.
Before joining British Land, he spent 29 years at Argent, where he was responsible for the delivery of Brindleyplace in Birmingham, Thames Valley Park in Reading and major office projects in central London and the City – including the celebrated redevelopment of London’s King’s Cross.
The judges said the King’s Cross redevelopment “remains today one of the best examples, if not the best example, of development principles, design, courage, patience and energy put into practice in the UK”.
They added: “British Land is fortunate to have the remarkable tenacity of Roger on its team. His foresight has already delivered schemes enjoyed by millions of people every year – whether it be to live, work, or play.”
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2022
Jennie Daly
Daly is the first female chief executive of housebuilder Taylor Wimpey, standing out for her exceptional operational leadership and sparkling personality.
A planner by training, she is authoritative on all aspects of the housing and land markets and has a phenomenally strong intellectual grasp of her subject.
In her previous role as group operations director, she oversaw land, design, planning, technical, sustainability, production, supply chain and logistics aspects. Daly is widely respected for her dedication, focus and brilliant networking with local and central government.
As a working mother, she is extremely empathetic and supportive of women in the property industry, recognising how challenging it can be to develop careers at the same time as having children. Her appointment to chief executive of one of the UK’s listed housebuilders sends a clear, positive signal to young women across the industry.
Daly’s style of leadership, and huge sense of fun while doing it, sets her apart as a passionate and talented personality who is much admired by the whole of the residential sector.
Residential Property Personalities of the Year 2021
Peter Freeman
Peter Freeman is an industry legend. He co-founded Argent and was one of the visionaries behind the redevelopment of King’s Cross, as well as major developments in Birmingham and Manchester.
Freeman was appointed chair of government housing delivery agency Homes England by the then secretary of state for housing Robert Jenrick in October 2020. He is now driving the delivery of homes and infrastructure across England under new housing secretary Michael Gove.
On accepting the award, Freeman called on the industry to “co-operate, share their varied core competencies and to conjure” to turn millions of bricks into places where communities thrive.
Stephen Ashworth
Much-loved Dentons partner Stephen Ashworth died suddenly in April at the age of just 57.
His passing brought to a premature end an illustrious 35-year career, during which he led for Camden council on the redevelopment of King’s Cross, helped secure permission for new towns in Essex and Hertfordshire and was involved in Renzo Piano’s Cube in Paddington Square.
Described by colleague Roy Pinnock as “a team player, but able and ready to challenge norms”, he rose rapidly up the ranks at Dentons to be one of the firm’s leading lawyers, becoming a partner in 1995 and head of planning in 1998. He is sorely missed by all who knew him.
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2020
Nick Walkley
Homes England chief executive Nick Walkley received his award in a ceremony held virtually due to Covid restrictions.
After thanking Property Week and the judges for the award, Walkley shared his thoughts on the residential sector’s performance and outlook.“What we’ve seen this year is real resilience in the sector,” he said.
“After the difficulty of lockdown, we all got back to work really quickly. What’s been impressive is the way that in a sector that at times isn’t known for working together, teams really pulled together to get supply chains going and get homes built. I think we’re in for a really positive end to the financial year as a result.”
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2019
Steve Morgan
A titan of the housing industry, Steve Morgan founded Redrow with a £5,000 loan in 1974. Since then, he has overseen its growth into a FTSE 250 company and one of the UK’s largest housebuilders with annual revenues of close to £2bn in 2018.
When he announced his retirement as chairman at the end of March, Redrow had just completed its 100,000th home.
In a further career highlight, Morgan received a CBE in 2016 for his philanthropic work.
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2018
Helen Gordon
Since taking on the role of chief executive in 2015, Gordon has helped to transform Grainger into a BTR juggernaut. Over the past two-years the company has invested more than £650m in the sector, buying up new and existing assets as well as developing its own schemes.
Her plans have been well received by the market with shares in the FTSE 250 business rising by about a quarter since she unveiled the businesses’ new strategic focus in early 2016.
Gordon’s career has spanned more than 35 years and seen her work for large organisations, such as RBS, Legal & General and Railtrack. She is currently a board member of the European Public Real Estate Association and is the junior vice president of the BPF.
Her journey to the top didn’t happen overnight, but during her short tenure at Grainger she has overseen rapid change and this award is richly deserved recognition of her achievements.
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2017
David Montague
Montague has redefined what a housing association is. At the end of last year, he completed L&Q’s merger with East Thames, pledging to build 100,000 new homes, and finalised a £2.6bn refinancing – the biggest ever for a housing association. A few months later, he spearheaded the acquisition of Gallagher Estates for £505m, cementing L&Q’s position as not just one of the most active housing associations but one of the UK’s largest developers by volume.
Collecting the award on the night, Montague said: “The property world is really so new to housing associations, so to see so many nominated so frequently in each of the categories and then for me to win this award is an extraordinary thing.”
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2016
Dominic Grace
Described by the judges as “the go-to man for London residential”, Dominic Grace can boast many of London’s most illustrious developers as clients. Having joined Savills in 1984, he was involved in its first major new-build project at Chelsea Harbour on behalf of P&O Properties and has since worked on schemes including Chelsea Barracks, Greenwich Peninsula and One Hyde Park.
“I am truly humbled by the accolade, particularly given the many titans of the residential business who have won it in previous years,” said Grace. “I am also delighted for all my gifted colleagues at Savills, as well as the wider agent/consultant community, that our roles can be recognised along with our developer clients.”
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2015
Sean Mulryan
Sean Mulryan is CEO and chairman of one of London’s leading residential developers, the privately owned Ballymore Group.
Sean started his company when he was in his early 20s, initially sourcing, vetting and supplying bricklayers for local contractors. He then started his own development company, and by 1992, Ballymore had grown into one of Ireland’s largest home builders. Recognising the potential offered by London, the company has since become synonymous with regeneration of whole areas of the capital, leading the way with the likes of Royal Wharf and Embassy Gardens.
The judges admired his “sheer tenacity and diehard mentality” and ability “to deliver truly trail-blazing schemes across London”. They also noted his “impressive staying power through the crash” and that he had “survived and prospered”.
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2014
Jamie Ritblat
Ritblat, chief executive of fund manager Delancey, was voted personality of the year by a panel of more than 50 judges, who praised the way he was spearheading the evolution of the private rented sector, and carving out clever deals for his fund.
East Village, the conversion of the Athletes Village from the 2012 Olympic Games into a private rented scheme, which is owned by Delancey and Qatari Diar, was also named Development of the Year; and Get Living London, the company set up by the joint venture to manage the scheme, won Newcomer of the Year.
The judges praised the way the latter had brought a level of service and transparency to the London lettings market that “would change that market forever”.
Residential Property Personality of the Year 2012 and 2013
Tony Pidgley
Berkeley Group founder Tony Pidgley is considered by many of his peers as the most successful housebuilder in the UK. The judges agree: Pidgley topped the voting for the Residential Personality of the Year, just as he did in the inaugural awards in 2012.
His reputation for judging the housing market is second to none, underpinned by a simple principle that you buy land at the bottom and sell at the top. Once again, Berkeley has secured sales success with large-scale projects, such as Kidbrooke Village in south-east London, following years of planning.
Pidgley was made a CBE in the Queen’s 2013 New Years Honours.