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UK: Katherine Russell, former director of build-to-rent (BTR) at the John Lewis Partners (JLP), has launched Lived, a strategic advisory business working across living platforms, retail estates and mixed-use places.
Lived was formed “to connect investment, development, operations and customer experience to help investors, developers and businesses unlock opportunities, improve performance and create long-term value”.
Russell said a major global institutional investment manager has come on board as Lived’s first anchor client. Lived will help to shape the investor’s living strategy and strengthen portfolio performance. Further client work is underway with a private family office and an asset manager, she said.
“I believe the opportunity in living is still huge, but it’s a tough market,” Russell wrote on LinkedIn. “Capital is selective and viability is stretched. Operating businesses need investment and scale. Investors need to understand and influence day to day performance or risk leaving significant value on the table. Through Lived, I’m doing what I enjoy most – spotting an opportunity, shaping a plan and bringing the right people together. Then staying with it to build teams, work through challenges and turn ambition into results.”
“It starts in living, but extends to retail estates, mixed-use places and other businesses where property and customer experience meet. After nearly 20 years at the John Lewis Partnership, leading real estate strategy, building and running its Living business inside a much loved consumer brand, has shaped how I connect commercial ambition with what matters to people. Homes have to perform as investments. But they’re also where people come back after a difficult day, raise families and begin to feel they belong. That’s been the thread running through everything I’ve shared recently. I’m proud of what we built at the Partnership and excited for this next chapter,” she added.
Russell led John Lewis Partnership’s BTR venture until the retailer announced it was withdrawing from the sector in February this year. She will continue to hold a board position at Dolphin Living, alongside her role with Lived.
She is also a speaker at the 2027 Urban Living Festival. There is no cost to attend the event for investors, developers, lenders, and operators. Click here to apply for your no-cost ticket.
Highlights:
- Katherine Russell, former director of build-to-rent (BTR) at the John Lewis Partners (JLP), has launched Lived, a strategic advisory business working across living platforms, retail estates and mixed-use places
- Lived was formed “to connect investment, development, operations and customer experience to help investors, developers and businesses unlock opportunities, improve performance and create long-term value”
- Russell said “a major global institutional investment manager” has come on board as Lived’s first anchor client
- She is also a speaker at the 2027 Urban Living Festival
