Our Team
Christopher Willans
With a career in commercial property spanning 35 years, Christopher is one of the most experienced Commercial Development and Asset Managers in the UK. After starting at Churston Heard (now JLL) and becoming their youngest ever Partner, he joined boutique retail agency, Oliver Liggins, becoming Senior Partner and subsequently Founding Partner of Capital Retail, before going on to establish Vale in 2002.
Christopher has worked in all sectors of the commercial property market. Highlights include introducing Disney stores to the UK, leading him to work with Nordic Track and Footlocker, and introducing a number of European retailers to the UK, including Agatha, Daniel Boudon and Coccinelle. As an advisor, he has been key in ground-breaking development schemes, such as the J Sainsbury’s development purchase and subsequent development of the St Albans Retail Park and the Helical Retail Development of the UK’s largest B&Q at Bolton Gate Retail Park. Christopher also advised Morley Properties on the development of Trinity Square, Nottingham, a mixed-use retail leisure and student housing scheme. At 270,000 sq. ft, it was the largest development of its kind in the East Midlands at the time.
Mark Wills-Williams
Mark has amassed 30 years of experience in the retail property market and has worked in all sectors, including agency, development, in-house advisory and asset management. Previously Retail Department Head at Erdman Lewis (Colliers), he went on to become Head of Retail Agency at Atis Real (now BNP Paribas), before joining DTZ (now Cushman & Wakefield) as Head of International Leasing.
Mark has worked on a number of retail administrations, including Office Outlet and Bath Store with Deloitte, BDO and Hilco. He advised TK Maxx on their entry into the UK market and was involved in the pre-leasing of the Colosseum Centre in Bucharest, a 1,500,000 sq. ft mixed-use development. As the Asset Manager for Saga Developments, Mark co-ordinated the leasing and residential sales on the 500,000 sq. ft Islington Square mixed-use development. He also worked with Sunrise Records Ltd, setting out and implementing real estate strategy following the CVA HMV.
Ruairi Conneely
After a successful career in banking at property finance markets from the early 1990s to 2006, Ruairi set up Sunlight Project Finance Ltd (SPF) in order to provide joint venture funding for developers and investors throughout Europe and the UK.
During this time, Ruairi has worked on mixed-use commercial portfolios, debt portfolios and impaired loans throughout the UK sourcing equity, senior and mezzanine debt, for commercial and residential developments.
Christine Drury
At Vale, Christine leads on cashflow analysis and all treasury functions in the office and deals with all in-house management of investment assets held on behalf of the Directors, outside Investors and Clients.
Christine has extensive experience of working with Managing Directors, Senior Directors and Executives at all levels of the Board. Having began her career Nelson Bakewell (now Capita Property) in February 1998, she moved on to the Arcadia Group in November 2014, where she worked with the Dorothy Perkins Brand Director, Head of HR and Multi-Channel Director, before joining Vale as Head of Administration in September 2015.
