Neil Slater Appointed New Chair of LandAid’s Board of Trustees

Posted by LandAid on 28th March 2022 -

Neil Slater has been elected as the new Chair of Trustees at LandAid, the property industry charity.

He replaces Rob Bould, who steps down after 3 years leading the charity, and over 13 years as a Trustee.

Neil, who is Global Head of Real Assets at abrdn, takes up his new role on 1 April 2022 and is one of a number of changes to the Board, including the retirement of LandAid’s founder Mike Slade as a Trustee.

Mike, who started the charity back in 1986, will remain its Life President, and is stepping down along with Rob Bould, Alistair Elliott of Knight Frank, and David Erwin of Dunluce Property, while Mark Reynolds of Mace Group, resigned in December 2021.

They are succeeded by Gemma Kataky of Blackstone and Damian Wild of EG, who becomes the new Chair of the Fundraising Committee, with effect from 1 April.

Neil joined abrdn in 2011 and from 2015 to 2019 was CEO of abrdn’s business in Japan.  Among his top priorities as Chair will be to support the CEO in delivery of LandAid’s new 3-year strategy, including the provision of 1,000 homes for young people currently facing homelessness, and helping the property industry to deliver the social aspect of its ESG pledges.

Neil Slater said: “I am delighted to join the LandAid Board of Trustees as Chair and look forward to carrying on the great work by Rob Bould and the other trustees in tacking youth homelessness, which sadly remains a growing issue across the country.

“One of the things that I am keen to stress as Chair to the industry is the role LandAid can play in helping businesses to deliver the social aspect of their ESG pledges. Investing in meaningful ESG objectives is no longer a nice-to-have but increasingly both a moral and commercial imperative for businesses across the property industry. LandAid can play a key in role in helping to achieve this.”

Paul Morrish, Chief Executive at LandAid, said: “We are excited to welcome Neil to the role of Chair of Trustees for LandAid, and know he will bring fresh ideas for social investment and valuable experience from his work at abrdn to help LandAid deliver our new 3-year strategy.

“It is one of several changes and, with the exciting additions of Gemma Kataky of Blackstone and Damian Wild of EG, I am very confident our refreshed Board will be stronger than ever.

“However, the changes are also tinged with sadness as Mike Slade, Rob Bould, Alistair Elliott and David Erwin step down from the Board, having given outstanding service to LandAid and the property industry over the last 40 years.

“I would like to put on record my thanks to Alistair and David for all their help and support over the years, with special thanks to Rob for being such a brilliant Chair for LandAid over the last 3 years, and of course, very special thanks to our new Life President Mike Slade, without whom LandAid would never have existed, never have raised so much money from our industry, and never helped transform so many young lives. 

“Thanks also to Jamie Griffiths-Mead and the great team at Granger Reis, who undertook the executive search for our new Chair.”

The Board of Trustee changes follow the recent appoints of two new Chairs of LandAid’s Regional Boards to strengthen and enhance its work with regional partners to deliver key local projects in tackling youth homelessness – Nathan Cornish (Urban Splash) in the North West, and Daniel Mulligan (Glenn Howell Architects) in the Midlands.