Moorfield Group appoints Matthew Smith for investment expansion

UK real estate investment manager Moorfield Group has hired Matthew Smith as head of Operational Asset Management. 

This appointment comes as Moorfield plans to increase its investments in UK living sectors, specifically focusing on multi-family build-to-rent (BTR), new-build single-family housing, co-living, and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA). 
Smith previously served as CEO of Allsop Letting & Management (ALM), where he significantly grew the business to manage over 10,000 lettings. Moorfield, a long-standing client of ALM, will benefit from Smith's in-depth knowledge of its residential portfolio. 
Moorfield has a history of early investment in UK living sectors, having originated and managed approximately 10,000 units since 1997. Their recent notable projects include a BTR scheme in Trafford, a PBSA scheme in Bristol, and the acquisition of single-family homes in Cambridgeshire.
Charles Ferguson Davie, CEO and CIO at Moorfield Group, said: “Through the appointment of Matt, we have made a senior hire with proven experience of managing scaled portfolios and with an intimate knowledge of our current and past residential-for-rent investments. The combination of structural factors that are restricting new supply, alongside strong demand, and the lack of available capital, is creating a compelling opportunity within the UK living sectors, which will be a major investment focus of ours going forward.  We believe that the case for investment in UK real estate in these sectors is strong, with inflation-linkage and high returns achievable for investors, whilst also helping to solve the country’s housing crisis.” 
Matthew Smith added: “Few fund managers have the pedigree in the UK living sectors that Moorfield does. Having worked closely with them for many years, it is a business I have grown to admire, and I look forward to working with the senior leadership team in ensuring operational excellence for Moorfield’s investor base across growing Moorfield’s living sector presence.”