huw stephens.

 
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AGE: 61

HOME: Buckinghamshire

PERSONAL:

Huw was born in Barry and is a keen rugby supporter, yachtsman and improving golfer.

 

EXPERTISE

Huw has spent his entire 40 year career in the UK property market investing on behalf of pension funds and overseas clients and has a reputation for excellent judgement and investment performance.

For 24 years he was employed by AXA Real Estate Investment Managers and from 2009 onwards was the Head of AXA’s property transaction team in the UK.

After the financial crisis Huw was one of the first to recognise that UK property assets were under-priced and that London would recover faster than the other main global cities.  As first mover, that viewpoint was the foundation of AXA’s c£5bn London investment and development programme with Huw leading the acquisition and development of headline transactions such as,

  • The £2.5bn 22 Bishopsgate office development which at 62 storeys high and 1.25msqft is the tallest and biggest single building in the City of London,

  • Google’s £600m HQ in Kings Cross, London and

  • Amazon’s £235m HQ in Farringdon, London

Earlier on in his career at AXA Huw was an award-winning Investment Manager stewarding the £1bn UK focussed Sun Life fund to 3 consecutive years of out-performance.

Huw formed his own business in 2019 and, as well as investing on his own account, has continued to advise investors on the acquisition and asset management of £375m of London assets. 

All of Huw’s property investments have exceeded their investment expectations. 

INVESTMENT APPROACH

For all private investors, not just athletes, investing in commercial property is a natural choice as it provides financial security, a steady and growing income with long term capital growth.

Huw’s investment approach is straightforward and focusses on selecting assets in economically sustainable locations, that have good quality secure cashflow with the potential for income and capital growth and where there may be alternative, and higher value, uses to be exploited.  

The foundations for Huw’s asset selection decision are:

  • Having a clear view on what’s going on in the world and how that might affect the property market, both for occupiers and investors

  • evaluating relative pricing and risk adjusted returns - successful long-term property investing usually has more to do with having resilient and growing income and values than chasing high returns by taking high risks. 

  • underwriting a rational business plan – each property investment has an obvious business plan but always have a plan B. 

  • retaining control – whilst borrowing can enhance returns, overborrowing can compromise asset decisions and reduce flexibility. 

These fundamental principles provide a useful checklist as investments are identified for Haydart.  

As the Haydart shareholders co-invest in each investment, all interests are fully aligned. 

HUW’S COMMITMENT TO HAYDART

Just like sport, Huw’s code for investing in property is to maintain good relationships, have a reputation for delivery, teamwork and not letting anyone down.  

Haydart is one of the main planks for Huw’s private property investment activities and is committed to its continued growth through his co-investment in each investment to demonstrate leadership and financial alignment.

In the same way that athletes rely on their experienced teammates, Huw is keen that Haydart’s investment partners know they can depend upon the Haydart team with confidence as a custodian for their investments.

He prides himself on the way Haydart delivers a ‘friends and family’ approach to real estate, with like-minded people investing in property for mutual benefit.