Leading developer and asset manager MEPC has celebrated its 70th anniversary, making it one of the few real estate companies in the UK to reach such a milestone.
The company, which was founded in 1946 by Claude Moss Leigh as the Metropolitan Estates & Property Corporation, celebrated the milestone at an event held on Monday 31 October at The Waldorf Hotel in Covent Garden, London.
MEPC manages a portfolio of business park assets on behalf of Hermes Investment Management, the £28.6 billion manager focussed on delivering superior, sustainable, risk adjusted returns to its clients – responsibly. The business parks are spread across the breadth of the country and include: Milton Park in Oxfordshire, Wellington Place in Leeds, Silverstone Park in Northamptonshire and Clyde Gateway in Glasgow.
The company recently announced that it is soon to commence building a 110,000 sq ft office and laboratory development at Milton Park, which will be the first speculative development in its sector to start since the EU referendum.
Welcoming over 140 guests, the event celebrated the company’s prominent life in the property industry. MEPC’s CEO James Dipple led the speaker line up, alongside Chris Taylor, Chairman at MEPC and Head of Private Markets at Hermes Investment Management.
James Dipple, CEO at MEPC said: “Our 70th anniversary is a significant milestone in our history and development and provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our rich past, and look forward to an exciting future.
“Great property is what we know and we continue to enjoy an undeniable presence in the sector, managing the homes of over 350 organisations and around 12,000 people working across manufacturing, professional services and cutting-edge science and technology. By bringing together companies with complementary skills, expertise and interests, we’re creating communities of people where business, innovation and excellence can thrive.
“Innovation allows us to create places for people, while our imagination shapes our future, ensuring that we are forever forward-thinking in our approach to asset management and development.
“I am grateful to the team at Hermes Investment Management for their unwavering support throughout the last 15 years.”
Chris Taylor, Chairman at MEPC and Head of Private Markets at Hermes Investment Management, added: “Our relationship with MEPC continues to thrive as we hone our strategic approach to generate sustainable income and optimal capital values across our business park assets.
“Celebrating this milestone is an opportunity to restate the future of MEPC, which is aligned with our shareholders’ requirements. We are looking to deliver new buildings, public realm and place making, which will be designed to meet tomorrow’s occupational requirements and driven by powerful forces associated with technology, globalisation, sustainability, urbanisation and demographic lifestyle changes.”
MEPC manages 650 acres of land and 4 million sq ft of accommodation across its portfolio of business parks.