Abodus: Why PBSA Needs to Simplify, Refocus and Remember Its Purpose

Three years of Reinventing Real Estate, and there’s plenty more to come.To mark the milestone, Jenna, Jamie and Jonathan sit down for a special episode to reflect on the conversations, challenges and lessons that have shaped both the podcast and Harris Associates.From the power of creativity in challenging markets to why genuine relationships and honest advice remain at the heart of successful deals, the team shares the insights that have influenced how they think, work and do business. They also revisit standout moments from previous guests, explore what innovation really means in real estate, and discuss the importance of creating a culture where everyone has a seat at the table, hierarchy takes a back seat, and people at every level feel empowered to share ideas, challenge convention and make a meaningful impact on the business.Looking ahead to 2027, the conversation turns to the opportunities shaping the next chapter for Harris Associates and Harris Studios, including European expansion, the evolution of co-living and flex living, and the growing importance of creative, commercially effective marketing.With Harris Associates approaching its 25th anniversary, this is a candid conversation about where the business has come from, what it stands for and where it’s going next.In this episode, we explore:What three years of conversations with leading industry entrepreneurs have taught us about business and leadership.Why challenging markets demand creativity, resilience and a willingness to think differently.How meaningful relationships and honest advice create long-term value for clients.Why innovation is about delivering commercial results, not simply doing something different.The opportunities emerging across Europe, co-living, flex living and the wider living sector.What’s next for Harris Associates and Harris Studios as we look towards 2027.Tune in for this special anniversary episode reflecting on three years of shared knowledge, fresh perspectives and conversations that challenge the way we think about real estate.

Welcome back to Reinventing Real Estate.In this episode, hosts Jenna and Jamie Harris sit down with Eri Cuanalo, CEO and Chairman of Collegiate Europe, one of the most influential figures in European purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA).Having worked across over 500 diverse projects across PBSA, Co-living and PRS, throughout his career, Eri has spent over two decades setting new industry standards for design, service, quality, amenities and innovation. From pioneering PBSA in the UK to developing some of Europe's most innovative student living schemes, such as Collegiate’s “resort-style” living philosophy, Eri explains how larger-scale schemes can become destinations in their own right, attracting students through exceptional amenities, community and design rather than simply proximity to campus. He also shares the lessons, setbacks and breakthroughs that have shaped Collegiate Europe's success.The conversation explores why student accommodation should be designed around human experience rather than historical assumptions, how hospitality principles are transforming the living sector, and why Europe’s historic university cities present one of the most compelling investment opportunities in real estate today.For investors and developers looking at the future of European living sectors, this episode offers a masterclass in creating long-term competitive advantage through innovation, customer understanding and operational excellence.Topics covered:- Why students are the most misunderstood consumer group in real estate- The evolution of European PBSA and where the biggest opportunities lie- The power of hospitality-led design and "resort-style" student living- The role of community, wellbeing and experience in resident retention- How to identify resilient university cities for long-term investmentStay up to date:Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes. For more insights, follow Harris Associates on LinkedIn and Instagram:- LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates/ ⁠- Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates⁠ Watch on Reinventing: Video Originals, in partnership with BTR News and PBSA News:- BTR News: https://btrnews.co.uk/videos - PBSA News: https://pbsanews.co.uk/videos Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube:- Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579⁠- YouTube: https://youtu.be/94jVTi7vAsQThis episode was pre-recorded in August 2026. Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and interest rates may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.

Welcome back to Reinventing Real Estate. In this episode, we sit down with Joss Muirie, CEO and Founding Partner of Abodus Student Living, to explore how PBSA can return to its core purpose: delivering accessible, fit-for-purpose accommodation for students. Drawing on more than two decades in the sector, including his early work on what became Liberty Living, Joss shares a candid view on affordability, the amenity arms race, international student dependency and the importance of domestic demand. He explains why service, staffing, marketing and asset management should be viewed as value drivers, not easy cost cuts, and why success should be measured by achieving the right rent, not simply filling beds first. This episode is essential listening for investors, developers, operators and university partners looking to understand the next phase of PBSA, from disciplined asset management and smarter leasing strategies to the opportunity in older assets and second- and third-year student demand. Topics covered: • The evolution of PBSA and where the sector has drifted • Why affordability is partly a self-inflicted challenge • The risks of over-reliance on international student demand • Why brand should mean service, consistency and safety • How operational spend can drive financial performance • The difference between operators and asset managers • Why leasing strategy should be controlled, not rushed • The opportunity in second- and third-year student demand • How to approach older PBSA assets with discipline Stay up to date:👉 Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes!👉 For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates/👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579• YouTube https://youtu.be/6nQX1CppXVE----This episode was pre-recorded in April 2026. Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and interest rates may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.

Welcome back to Reinventing Real Estate. In this episode, hosts Jenna and Jamie Harris sit down with Mark Slatter, Chairman and Founder of Olympian Homes, one of the UK’s most experienced living-sector developers. From joining the Royal Marines at 17 to building Olympian Homes into a specialist living-sector developer, Mark shares hard-earned lessons on leadership, resilience and long-term business building. Drawing on experiences from a near-death helicopter incident in Norway to multiple real estate downturns, he explains why calm decision-making, trust and the ability to assess your options are essential in all walks of life. The conversation explores Olympian’s growth, culture and founding principles, from commercial discipline and team welfare to giving back and building trust through accuracy and consistency. Jenna, Jamie and Mark also discuss the future of Co-living, looking at why the sector is more than a high-density residential product and what it must get right across design, amenity, affordability, operations and community. This episode is essential listening for capital investors, developers and next-generation leaders interested in resilient leadership, long-term value creation and the future of the UK living sector.Topics covered:Leadership lessons from the Royal MarinesBuilding Olympian Homes over three decadesNavigating recessions and challenging market conditionsThe evolution of PBSA, BTR and Co-livingWhat good Co-living needs to get rightAffordability, key workers and the future of urban livingHow planning could better support design quality and deliveryStay up to date: Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes. For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates/Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates⁠You can also listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube:Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@HarrisAssociatesLondon⁠----This episode was pre-recorded in May 2026. Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and interest rates may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.

Welcome back to the Reinventing Real Estate podcast. In this episode, hosts Jenna and Jamie Harris sit down with Nadine Buckland, Co-Founder and CEO of Zenzic Capital, to explore what it really takes to build and lead a business in real estate finance. With more than two decades of advisory and investment experience, Nadine shares the story behind launching Zenzic and growing it into a respected real estate credit platform focused on bespoke financing solutions across the UK and Europe. But this conversation goes far beyond markets and capital. It is a candid discussion on entrepreneurship, leadership, hiring, delegation, imposter syndrome and the realities of scaling a business through uncertainty. Nadine reflects on the gap she spotted in the non-bank lending market, why founders cannot do everything themselves, and how culture is shaped by ambition, trust and the willingness to make hard decisions. She also speaks openly about building strong partnerships, backing people on merit, and why authenticity is one of the most underrated advantages in business. This is a thoughtful and honest episode for capital investors, developers, and future founders looking to understand what sustainable growth really looks like behind the scenes. Topics covered: Why Nadine founded Zenzic Capital and the opportunity she saw in real estate credit  What building a business really looks like behind the glamour  The difference between people who want a career and people who want a job  Hiring, leadership and the challenge of making the right calls as a founder  Why strong business partnerships rely on trust, self-awareness and complementary strengths  Managing conflict, backing the right people and building deep relationships  Imposter syndrome, confidence and leading authentically as a woman in real estate finance  Why real estate should back more talent on merit, not just pedigreeFollow, subscribe and join the conversation as we continue to reinvent real estate.Stay up to date: 👉 Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes!👉 For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates/👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579• YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/3J6J4XsAg3k⁠------ This episode was pre-recorded in March 2026. Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and policy may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.

In this episode, hosts Jenna and Jamie Harris sit down with Jo Winchester, Co-living and PBSA consultant, executive coach, and former Executive Director in Valuation at CBRE. Jo brings more than two decades of experience across valuation, student accommodation and the living sectors, alongside a growing practice focused on co-living needs assessments and coaching for property professionals. Topics covered: - Jo’s journey from PBSA valuation into Co-living - The data and demand drivers underpinning the sector - Planning strategy, local storytelling and making the case for Co-living - Affordability, single-person households and the shortage of small homes - Valuing sui generis versus C1 co-living models - Leadership, coaching and career fulfilment in real estate - Why policy and industry need to work more closely together This episode is essential listening for capital investors, developers and living-sector professionals looking to better understand the future of Co-living, the affordability pressures driving demand, and the human side of building a meaningful career in real estate. Follow, subscribe and join the conversation as we continue to reinvent real estate.Stay up to date: 👉 Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes!👉 For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates/👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579• YouTube: https://youtu.be/3J6J4XsAg3k------ This episode was pre-recorded in February 2026. Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and policy may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.

Welcome back to Reinventing Real Estate. In this episode, hosts Jenna and Jamie Harris sit down with Ed Ellerington, Founder & CEO of Packaged Living, to challenge one of the industry’s biggest assumptions: that success in real estate has to follow a linear path.Ed shares why he's sceptical of the default school → university → work conveyor belt, what he learned by taking on responsibility early, and how the right sponsors can unlock entrepreneurial talent faster than any qualification. He also breaks down what “intrapreneurship” really looks like and why tough markets are the ultimate training ground.We dig into Packaged Living’s platform strategy: building track record through development, scaling into investment management and moving into operations - the hardest part to get right and the one that tests whether you’ve truly built a durable product.If you’re investing, developing, or building a career in Living real estate, this episode is a playbook for staying creative, resilient and decisive through cycles.Topics covered:- Starting a business at 15 and scaling through grit and timing- Sponsors, mentors and why they change outcomes- Rethinking university: apprenticeships, school-leaver routes and non-linear careers- Intrapreneurship: driving change inside a corporate- Why challenging markets produce better operators- Packaged Living’s growth strategy- How to build partnerships that last through cyclesStay up to date: 👉 Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes!👉 For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates/👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on Spotify.• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579• YouTube: https://youtu.be/TIFzl0qzHsM----This episode was pre-recorded in December 2025. Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and interest rates may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.

In the latest episode of Reinventing Real Estate, hosts Jenna and Jamie Harris sit down with Marcus Weeks, Director & Head of Living at Firethorn, to explore what it takes to scale conviction-led Living strategies in tougher market cycles - blending entrepreneurial speed with institutional discipline. Marcus shares the unfiltered story behind his journey, from the import-export business he built at just 15 years old to the leadership lessons that shape how he builds platforms today. As the youngest guest to join the podcast, he offers a candid perspective on earning trust early in an industry that can still default to “time served” over talent.The conversation spans leadership, culture, hiring, investor alignment and the realities of delivery - alongside what Firethorn’s Living strategy looks like in practice. Key topics include:• Building and scaling Living platforms when the market turns• How Marcus leads a young team: pace, ownership, and delivery discipline• Hiring beyond the CV — what he looks for in high-performing talent• Why investor alignment is won (or lost) in the day-to-day sponsor relationship• Setbacks that sharpened his approach, and what tough cycles reveal about operators• Firethorn’s thesis on platform-building across the Living sectors“Marcus brings a refreshing mix of pace, clarity and real delivery focus,” said Jamie Harris. “He’s built credibility early by staying close to the fundamentals - product, people, partnerships, and his perspective on platform-building in today’s market is both timely and sharp.”If you’re developing, investing, operating, or building a career in the Living sector, this episode is a clear-eyed framework for how to lead, deliver, and keep conviction when conditions get tough.Follow, subscribe and join the conversation as we continue to reinvent real estate.Stay up to date: 👉 Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes!👉 For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates/👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on Spotify.• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579• YouTube: https://youtu.be/TIFzl0qzHsM----This episode was pre-recorded in December 2025. Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and interest rates may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.

In the latest episode of Reinventing Real Estate, hosts Jenna and Jamie Harris sit down with James Whidborne, Head of UK Residential Fund Management at Edmond de Rothschild REIM, to discuss what it takes to build resilient residential portfolios. With more than 20 years’ experience across Build to Rent (BTR), PBSA and European commercial real estate, James brings a measured perspective shaped by market cycles, early-stage innovation and long-hold thinking.From his early career at Savills Investment Management, where he was responsible for two residential funds alongside a strategic land fund, to joining Edmond de Rothschild in 2016, James reflects on how lessons from the Global Financial Crisis continue to shape his approach to risk, capital and long-term value. He goes on to challenge conventional asset class boundaries, arguing that student housing, Co-living and Build to Rent should not be treated as separate silos, but as closely related forms of multifamily living, anchored by demand rather than short-term trends. Key topics include:Why PBSA, BTR, Co-living are variations of multifamily, not separate asset classesThe investment case for mid-market and affordable housing built on demand, income resilience and longevityLessons from the GFC on capital structure, debt negotiations and decision-making under pressureWhy “amenity-light, location-heavy” strategies often outperform over-amenitised schemesThe growing importance of on-site management, operational data and brand loyalty in BTRWhy the next decade of UK real estate will be defined by repricing and repurposing, not new developmentCareer reflections on patience, passion and why real estate is a long game“James brings a rare combination of technical depth and long-term perspective,” said Jamie Harris, Co-Host of the Reinventing Real Estate Podcast. “His experience across cycles and his clarity on what genuinely drives value makes this a hugely relevant conversation for today’s market.”With thoughtful reflections, practical insight and a clear-eyed view on where capital needs to be braver, this episode offers a grounded framework for navigating the UK’s evolving Living Sector and a reminder that long-term success is built on conviction, not noise.Follow, subscribe and join the conversation as we continue to reinvent real estate.Stay up to date: 👉  Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes!👉 For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates/👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579• YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@HarrisAssociatesLondon----This episode was pre-recorded in April 2025.  Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and interest rates may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.

In this episode of Reinventing Real Estate, we sit down with David Hirschfield, Group Managing Director of Galliard Homes, London’s largest privately owned residential developer and one of the most influential players shaping the future of the UK Living Sectors.David shares his remarkable journey from corporate real estate lawyer to joining Galliard as their first in-house Legal Director, before rising to Group Managing Director. Through candid conversation David reveals how legal training can be a powerful commercial advantage, how regeneration has become part of Galliard’s DNA and why long-term partnerships built on trust continue to fuel the company’s growth.Together, they unpack:The evolution of Galliard’s vertically integrated modelHow regeneration-led development is transforming cities like Birmingham and BristolThe resurgence of forward funding and institutional capitalWhy PBSA, Build to Rent, Co-living and single-family housing are increasingly convergingThe impact of AI and technology on future development strategiesAnd more… Whether you’re an investor seeking clarity on market direction, a developer navigating today’s challenging environment, or a future leader looking for inspiration, this episode delivers strategic insight, practical wisdom and a compelling look inside one of the UK’s most dynamic property groups.Tune in to hear how Galliard is redefining regeneration, building communities at scale and staying ahead in an evolving real estate landscape.Follow, subscribe and join the conversation as we continue to reinvent real estate.Stay up to date: 👉  Subscribe now to stay updated on upcoming episodes!👉 For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harrisassociates/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrisassociates/👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube.• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reinventing-real-estate/id1707988579• YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@HarrisAssociatesLondon----This episode was pre-recorded in June 2025.  Consequently, certain discussions regarding market conditions and interest rates may no longer reflect current circumstances. We appreciate your understanding.