Real Estate Finance Recruitment London | Alexander Charles Associates

Why It Matters

Property Finance Has Its Own Language

Finance leadership in a real estate business runs on things a general commercial CFO rarely touches: independent valuations moving through the accounts every quarter, debt facilities and covenant headroom that shape what the business can do, development appraisals, joint ventures and co-investment, SPV and fund structures, and investor reporting built around NAV rather than earnings.

A finance leader who has genuinely done this is worth a great deal, and one who has not becomes obvious quickly: in a valuation cycle, a refinancing, or an investor call. Assessing that difference is exactly what we are built to do.

How We Work

Consultants Who Understand the Brief

Every consultant at Alexander Charles Associates is a qualified accountant drawn from a senior finance position. We understand what sits behind a property company's accounts, so we can test a candidate on the substance of what they have run rather than the wording of a CV.

We meet you in person to understand the platform, its capital structure and the character that will fit your team and your investors. We then give you access to candidates who are not on the market: more than 60% of our placements are headhunted, drawing on three decades of network across London real estate. We run as much of the process as you need and stay involved through onboarding.

The ACA Difference

What You Get Working With Us

Real Estate Fluency

Your search is led by a qualified accountant who understands valuations, covenants, development appraisals and fund structures, not just finance in the abstract.

A London Property Network

Three decades of relationships across property investment managers, REITs, funds and developers, used to reach people who are not looking.

Investor-Ready Candidates

Finance leaders who can run the platform day to day and also present the numbers with confidence to the investors and lenders behind it.

Aftercare That Lasts

Our follow-up service continues well past the offer, protecting the appointment for both the business and the person who joins it.

Coverage

Where We Work in Real Estate

Business Types

We recruit into the finance function across London real estate:

Real Estate Investment Management REITs Property Funds Developers Property Companies Private Equity Real Estate Real Estate Debt Property Family Office

Roles We Place

Across every level of the senior finance function:

Chief Financial Officer
Finance Director
VP Finance
Group Financial Controller
Financial Controller & Fund Controller
Financial Planning & Analysis
Treasury Director & Controller
Management & Financial Accountants

Common Questions

Real Estate Finance Recruitment, Answered

What kind of real estate businesses does Alexander Charles Associates recruit for?

Real estate investment managers, REITs, closed and open-ended property funds, developers, property companies and real estate family offices. We recruit into the finance function itself, from a first CFO hire through to established platforms building out their finance team.

Why does real estate finance need a specialist recruiter?

Property finance has its own technical language: independent valuations flowing through the accounts, debt facilities and covenant headroom, development appraisals, joint ventures and co-investment, SPV and fund structures, and investor reporting on a NAV basis.

Every consultant at Alexander Charles Associates is a qualified accountant with senior finance experience, so we assess whether a candidate has genuinely done this rather than screening a CV.

What roles do you place in real estate finance?

Chief Financial Officer, Finance Director, VP Finance, Group Financial Controller, Financial Controller, Fund Controller, Financial Planning & Analysis, Treasury Director and Treasury Controller, and Management and Financial Accountants.

How do you reach candidates who aren't actively looking?

Over 60% of our placements are headhunted rather than advertised. We build a target list from original research and three decades of network across London real estate and its investors, then approach those people directly and in confidence.

How long does a search take?

The timeline is set by your needs and priorities, and we agree it with you at the briefing.

Because the shortlist is built from active research and direct approaches rather than waiting on applications, a focused search moves at a predictable pace, and we run as much or as little of the interview process as you need.

Do you work on a retained basis, and how are your fees structured?

We work on a retained, fixed-fee basis. The fee is agreed at the outset and does not change with the candidate's salary, so you know the full cost of the search from the start.

Every search is also covered by a replacement guarantee.

Do you work with private equity real estate and institutionally backed platforms?

Yes. A large share of our work is for real estate businesses backed by private equity or institutional capital, where the finance leader has to run the platform day to day and also report with confidence to the investors behind it.

Where is Alexander Charles Associates based?

At 23 Berkeley Square in Mayfair, in the heart of London's real estate investment community. Most of our work is in London, and we search across the UK and Europe when a client needs it.

The People Behind Every Search

Your Search, Led in Person

Kelvin Trott

Chief Executive Officer

Kelvin began his career in finance before moving into recruitment over 35 years ago. He founded Alexander Charles Associates and specialises in senior finance appointments across private equity, financial services and real estate.

View LinkedIn Profile

Alexander Trott

Finance Recruitment Director

Alexander spent 15 years in finance roles, progressing to Finance Director, before moving into recruitment. He is ACCA qualified and now FCCA, and specialises in senior finance appointments across private equity-backed companies, financial services and real estate.