Could this be the year Ray Palmer joins Property Week’s Hall of Fame…

In April 2016, Property Week launched the Property Hall of Fame,  which aims to celebrate the legends of property by rewarding them with the accolade of a lifetime achievement award. The likes of Invine Seller, Gerald Ronson and Sir George Iacobescu are among the few who have received this prestigious award. In 2018, we believe the time has come to award one of the absolute legends of the industry, Mr Ray Palmer, Palmer Capital’s Founder and Chairman.

Ray has been at the forefront of the industry for 50 years, having been a Founding Partner of both Lambert Smith Hampton and Palmer Capital, the second of which celebrated its 25th year in business in 2017. He is famously known for selling LSH three times… and buying it back twice. Ray has also mentored the careers of well-known figures in the property industry, such as Tony Gibbon (GM Real Estate) and Nic Byrom (LSH).

Ray has managed several of Palmer Capital’s most ground-breaking deals, including the £250m JV between Rolls Royce and two of Palmer Capital’s Prop Co’s; Manse LLP and Opus Land. This deal is one of the largest manufacturing deals of 2017 and the largest Midlands industrial developments in more than a decade. He also completed on the firm’s most profitable deal in its entire 25 year history, on the final sale of Discovery Park, in Kent – referred to in Parliament as the UK’s most successful enterprise zone, documented by The Financial Times.

Ray has been described as having the “Midas” touch. He has an innate understanding of property and profit, but also of people. This has made him one of the industry’s best mentors for the next generation of industry stars, the type which Palmer Capital has backed over the last twenty five years. His style of leadership is quiet and unassuming, but the quality of his judgement quickly leads others to follow. He has always been generous in sharing and encouraging others to develop, and in passing on the skills he has learned over half a century in the industry.

Anyone who knows Ray also knows he has a wicked sense of humour and doesn’t take himself too seriously.  Ray was happy to be the poster boy for Palmer Capital’s Money-maker challenge, which has been running for two years now raising c. £60,000 for Landaid.

Don’t just take our word for it, Susie Hardwick a shareholder at Palmer Capital commented: 

“Speaking as a shareholder of Palmer Capital for over twenty years and as a friend for nearly thirty, Ray has never, ever let me down on either front. His business record is impeccable, and the consistent growth and success of Palmer Capital is an undeniable accolade to Ray both as a businessman and as a person. There is no one who deserves this award more.”

Surely 2018 is the year we celebrate this absolute legend, someone who not only has been incredibly successful in his own 50 year career but influenced so many across the industry, creating the stars of tomorrow. Over Palmer Capitals 25 years, Ray has nurtured and developed the careers within each of the property companies we have backed and these are only the ones we know about. I’m sure there are many who would agree Ray has been fundamental to their growth and inspired their successful careers.

Prepare the champagne, here’s to raising a glass on the night of 17th April…