Ian Marcus honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at the PROPS

Ian Marcus OBE has been awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s PROPS Awards, recognising a career spanning more than four decades at the forefront of the UK real estate industry.

Marcus received the honour at the 34th annual PROPS Awards lunch, held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London, where almost 1,000 senior leaders from the property and finance sectors gathered to celebrate industry achievements and raise funds for Variety, the Children’s Charity.

The long-running awards, co-founded by property veteran Neil Sinclair, are among the UK property sector’s most established industry events.

Ian Marcus was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours List

Marcus, who graduated from Cambridge University in 1981 with a degree in Land Economy, spent more than 30 years in banking focused on the real estate sector, holding senior roles at Bank of America, UBS, NatWest, Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston, where he established and later chaired the European Real Estate Investment Banking business.

Over the course of his career, he helped finance some of Britain’s most iconic developments, including Broadgate, Wembley Stadium and the O2 Arena, while also advising on landmark transactions including the creation of Annington Homes and the sale of a stake in Regent Street for the Crown Estate. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in HM Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours List.

In a wide-ranging and often humorous acceptance speech, Marcus reflected on the importance of relationships throughout his career and described property as fundamentally “a people business.

He said: “When I have the honour of speaking to students… I ask, what is the most important thing in property?

“Some bright spark puts up their hand and says location, location… but I point out a third aspect which is ‘the who’.

“If you get that part right as to who you lend to, invest in, advise or partner, you stand a better chance of working through more challenging times.”

Marcus also paid tribute to mentors, colleagues and friendships built across the industry over the past 45 years, while reflecting on his work with King Charles III through the Prince’s Regeneration Trust and The Prince’s Foundation.

He joked that retirement remained unlikely.

“My wife doesn’t want me at home and my golf isn’t good enough so I might as well do something I enjoy,” he said.

Candice Sammeroff, chair of the PROPS Awards committee and a trustee of Variety, the Children’s Charity, presented Marcus with the award.

She said: “Ian’s contribution to the property sector spans more than four decades and touches every part of the industry.

“From financing landmark developments to advising some of the market’s most influential organisations, his impact on British real estate has been immense.

“Honouring him with the Lifetime Achievement Award feels both fitting and deeply deserved, and we are delighted to celebrate his extraordinary career at this year’s ceremony.”

During the presentation, Marcus was praised for his work beyond the commercial property sector, including his role as chairman of the Saracens Multi-Academy Trust, which supports around 2,000 students in some of the most deprived areas of north London.

Speakers at the ceremony also highlighted Marcus’s advisory work with organisations including The Crown Estate, Redevco and Eastdil Secured, alongside his long-standing charitable involvement.

Today, Marcus holds a number of senior advisory and non-executive positions across the property and investment sectors, including as chair of self-storage giant Shurgard and senior adviser to Eastdil Secured.

Other winners at this year’s PROPS Awards included The Fusion Group, which, founded by the late Nigel Henry, won Developer of the Year and entrepreneur Paul Eden, who received Entrepreneur of the Year. His company, Arada also picked up Deal of the Year.

The ceremony also marked the announcement that next year’s PROPS Awards, due to take place on 27 May 2027, will celebrate the event’s 35th anniversary.