Development Diaries – Episode 11 – Niall Farmer (Head of UK, Gamuda)

Niall Farmer’s route into development started with a compliment about a stranger’s shoes in a Turkish hotel bar at half one in the morning. That stranger was the founder of Mulalley, a £180 million Essex contractor, and two weeks later Niall had a job offer and a 50% pay rise.

Getting there wasn’t straightforward. He graduated in politics into the global financial crisis and heard nothing back from grad scheme after grad scheme. He got his start client side at Monsoon Accessorize, then moved to Sherrygreen Homes and master planning at Lendlease’s Stratford scheme. After that came a tough spell in his dad’s construction business, which didn’t survive the Brexit and COVID years.

Fast forward, he joined Gamuda Land, and that’s where his proudest moments sit. He’s built a team of 10 and backed Woolwich for student housing before anyone else did; the scheme is now close to full occupancy in its first year. He’s also heavily involved in 75 London Wall, a £1 billion-plus office development heading for topping out.

Niall also covers:

– How Gamuda’s asset-agnostic “quick turnaround” strategy works
– What he looks for in a partner: organisation, foresight, hindsight, and at least 10% co-investment
– Why he thinks we’re near the bottom of the cycle, and why now is the time for value-add investors

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