Benjamin Lee Email & Phone Number

London, Gb

M Core is an established family of property investment and management companies comprising LCP, Sheet Anchor, Evolve Estates and Proudreed. The group of businesses has a £5.2bn portfolio of assets and employs almost 500 people across Europe. Over 1,250 are managed with an average occupancy of over 93%. The UK accounts for c.45% of assets, with France at 40% and the remainder in Poland, Romania, Germany and Spain. M Core carefully assesses and evaluates each investment opportunity across the commercial property sector from its UK headquarters with a focus on light industrial and convenience led retail assets. With over 35 years’ experience of investing in the commercial property market, M Core has a proven track record in identifying opportunities and then applying its strategy of intensive management to maximise value. M Core has a strong focus on growth throughout Europe across the family of companies. M Core's acquisition of The Centre, Livingston in late 2023 was a significant milestone, adding 1 million sq ft of commercial space and its largest retail investment in Scotland. In addition M Core has recently entered the Romanian market, with a €219m investment across 25 managed assets. Also in 2023, M Core opened its Madrid office and closed the €30 million acquisition of The Quadernillos commercial park.

Kingswinford, West Midlands, Gb

LCP, part of M Core, is one of the leading privately owned commercial property investment and management companies in the UK. Headquartered in the West Midlands, it has offices and assets across the UK and Europe. LCP has £2.7bn of asset under management, the portfolio span over 650 assets and has an average occupancy rate of 94%.

Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Lu

CFO at Aggregate Holdings, a predominantly German-focused real estate investment company, with interests also in Portugal and the German-speaking region, it had c.€ 5bn of assets and a multi-billion EUR gross development value project portfolio.The company had diversified large-scale investments in excellent locations in three divisions : Build & Hold, focussed on the Quartier Heidestrasse neighbourhood development in central Berlin; Build & Sell, based on the VIC Properties development platform focussed on Lisbon, and Financial Real Estate assets. From project acquisition to financing, planning and development, all phases led by a highly experienced management team with a strong operational and transactional track record and supported by dedicated local teams.

CFO at Consus Real Estate AG, based in Berlin. Consus built a leading listed German residential property developer. Focused on the top 9 cities in Germany, Consus had a GDV (gross development value) of EUR 9.6bn across 64 projects. The company successfully sold in July 2020From 2017, Consus acquired CG Gruppe, placed a EUR 200m convertible bond, completed an equity placing of EUR 131m in July 2018, closed a EUR 1.1bn financed with a EUR 250m acquisition facility provided by JP Morgan and then in 2019 placed a EUR 400m bond to institutional investors. Through this period, the GDV increased from EUR 4.6bn to EUR 9.6bn.Consus developer model focused on institutional forward sales, digitalization and industrial mass production along the entire development value chain.

Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Lu

Focus on financing and analysing various Aggregate projects and investmentsAdvising and supporting on CFO functions of various group companies, including in interim capacity

Supported analysis of new fund focused on African power projects, targeting raising £250m – £600+m in stages. Investments in both debt and equity, initially focused on projects with Development Finance Institution support. - Repositioned the company, appointed JPM Cazenove and Numis to start work as brokers to the company for a planned IPO in London

London, Gb

CFO to Sequa Petroleum, an oil and gas company listed on Euronext and headquartered in London. The company targeted projects on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and the North Sea, with a focus on taking discovered oil and gas projects from appraisal through to production. - completed overdue 2014 accounts and accelerated sign off of 2015 accounts - reviewed various financing solutions, including potential bank, debt fund and bond solutions for two Norwegian Continental Shelf transactions- led c.$500 million financing in a challenging oil price environment. Worked to optimize transaction - positioned investment rationale for private equity and debt investors, including build out strategy The company had a highly experienced leadership team (ex senior Shell and BG Group).

Gb

London-headquartered iron ore miner, with its flagship project in Sierra Leone, and other projects in Colombia, China, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Greenland. Listed on London Stock Exchange in 2009 with peak market cap of US$800m. In FY2013,sales of US$299m and operating profit of US$23m in 2013, with c3,500 employees and contractors. Awarded Platts Industry Leadership Award – Materials & Mining 2014. Following the iron ore price collapse and Ebola crisis, the company ceased operations at the end of 2014 - Led financing strategy; negotiated and closed 18 different financings in 6 years; raised $840m of new funds and refinanced $550m- Led financing teams headed by financial controller, tax, risk, IT and corporate development - Financed, then restructured US$280m capital project; re-optimized for cashflow versus NPV- Successful cost reduction programme; 20% in Head Office, 21% at operations- Improved integration of finance with operations; authorized new management reporting system - Led process to mitigate iron ore price collapse (c.US$140/t in Jan’14 to c.US$70/t in Dec’14)- Sierra Leone one week a month, undertaking budget performance reviews and reviewing capital delivery and allocation, cost reduction and upside delivery- Contracts committee reviewed key financial and commercial terms for risk/upside- Met with government to address business issues; both Sierra Leone and other projects- Ebola crisis: (Sierra Leone worst hit country; mine located in high incidence district) - Unprecedented health & safety issue to address; significant risk to life - Focus on responsibly maintaining health and operations in very challenging environment

Gb

- Core management team and Board member from 2011- Led financing strategy, led listing on London Stock Exchange (AiM) in 2009 - Led business and asset purchases and disposals (Colombia, South Africa, China, Saudi)- Oversaw operations in Colombia, Greenland and Saudi, determining strategy and capital and investment spend- Managed China office, with frequent visits to China - Positioned projects in Colombia, Greenland, Saudi and China with potential investors - Led the joint venture relationship discussions; China and Saudi Arabia- Undertook strategic deal and new project appraisal - A key team member for complex litigation cases; UK/US/ other jurisdictions- Initiated and negotiated contracts for 25 million tonnes of sales with Glencore, Vitol and Cargill- Designed and implemented 5 million ton hedging programme- Repositioned investment case to deliver blue chip shareholder register; e.g. Blackrock, Standard Life, Schroders, Fidelity, Government Singapore- Presented to market and investors in groups and one-on-one sessions, and industry conferences- Oversaw press releases and presentation released by London Mining over 6 years- London Mining won ‘Best Annual Report (AIM and Small Cap)’, Corporate and Financial Awards, 2014 - Governance : FTSE-250 aspirations and corporate governance, combined code compliant including remuneration policy, internal controls and risk management- Michael Miles, previously CEO of Cathay Pacific and Chairman of Schroders Plc and on Board of BP Plc, and Alan Ferguson previously CFO of Lonmin Plc and BOC Plc joined the Board as Chairman and Audit Committee Chair respectively

Gb

- Ran team of 12 responsible for marketing and execution of transactions; 6 deals in 15 months- Worked closely across divisions and with entrepreneurial clients - Other deals included : £230m sale of Inspicio plc, a UK testing company, to 3i; £40m sale of Econergy plc, alternative energy developer, to Suez S.A; £25m sale of Hotels 4U to Thomas Cook; ; £72.5m acquisition of DLG, marketing data provider, by Kaupthing Capital Partners

Zurich, Ch

- Wide variety of sectors covered, including Industrials and Consumer. Focus on cross-border mergers & acquisitions, and related financings. US experience was primarily domestic, resulting in broad experience throughout UK, Europe and US - One of the few to survive transition on acquisition of Warburg by UBS- Selected Industrial deals : Pilkington Plc £3.4bn sale to Nippon Sheet Glass purchase; Volkswagen defence from MAN Scania; SKR21bn demerger by Volvo of its stake in Scania; McCarthy&Stone £1.1bn bid by HBOS; Wienerberger £90m offer for Baggeridge Brick Plc; Arcelor bid for Erdemir - Selected Consumer deals : Wrigley $12.6bn offer for Hershey; Sara Lee $2.8bn purchase of Earthgrains; Diageo £165m sale of Cinzano; Heinz €425m sale of John West tuna- Selected Other deals : $700m acquisition for TDC (Danish telecom incumbent) of Song Networks; GE Healthcare US$390m cross-border public offer for Biacore; £1.3bn purchase of London Electricity Plc by Entergy; £3.8bn defence of Forte from Granada hostile takeover

Bachelor’S Degree, Economics And Engineering

Education record