A solutions first approach
Alex Hutchings
Head of Real Estate & Partner
As far as Alex is concerned knowing the law is a given.
He’d far rather spend his time helping clients achieve their Real Estate goals than arguing over obscure points in a lease that will in reality make no difference to how the client will use the space.
The Real Estate team at Greenwoods operate on a “solutions first” basis; it’s their job to deal with things that arise and come to you with an answer, rather then presenting you with the options you already know.
If that sounds interesting to you then why not give the team a try?
As Head of Real Estate Alex’s first job is to lead our team and his goal is to establish us as one of the go to Real Estate departments for the sectors in which we operate.
After that he advises businesses in relation to their property holdings and expansion plans with a particular specialism in advising retail and hospitality business. Physical locations are a large investment (rent, rates, service charge, insurance, utilities and that’s just to get open let alone those that crop up when you are running the business!) so, it’s Alex’s job to come up with practical advice and strategies to protect that investment.
Alex focuses on anticipating clients’ needs and keeping them regularly updated on their transactions to take away some of the stresses and strains of a roll out and actually GIVING them back time to focus on running their business as opposed to wasting time chasing their legal team for updates.
Alex initially “fell” into real estate following a work experience placement at a boutique property law firm; they must have seen some potential as they invited him back as a paralegal. He was there for 11 years, progressing from paralegal to partner before moving to Greenwoods two years ago. Ultimately, Alex chose to specialise in real estate, saying that he likes that the impact on everyday life is clear to see – and that people interact with the built environment much more than they do terms and conditions! He also really enjoys trying to put deals together.
Whilst Alex deals with all aspects of Real Estate (from acquisitions of development sites through to financing) over the past 10 years he has really leaned in to acting for restaurateurs and hospitality entrepreneurs on their roll outs and that’s what he loves talking about – after all Jay Rayner has yet to write a review on an office fit out!
Everyone has a favourite restaurant, or a story about a special meal with family or friends, and Alex really enjoys playing a small part in those experiences. As he says: “It’s very fulfilling to witness the tangible results of your work plus; it means I get to visit incredible restaurants (purely for research purposes of course!)”.
Alex is involved with REVO and The LPF, which allows him to engage with industry-leading bodies. He brings this knowledge to his day-to-day work, magnifying the impact and adding value to his clients.
He enjoys being part of a cross-industry team dedicated to setting the standard for and improving the sector, showcasing best practices, and helping local communities, landlords, and tenants.
Tenant’s Break Clauses (them’s the breaks)
Real Estate / 16 May 2024