£3bn deal maker poached by rival

ONE of the City’s leading property agents is changing jobs after tying up deals worth more than £3bn in the past year.

James Beckham, 59, is swapping Cushman And Wakefield for CBRE, where he will be executive director and head of London investment properties. He has advised on some of the biggest deals in the City, in a career spanning 30-plus years.

That included working for Hong Kong food conglomerate Lee Kum Kee, best known for its oyster sauce, and on the £1.3bn purchase of the Walkie Talkie at 20 Fenchurch Street – the UK’s largest ever single-asset property deal.

He also acted for British Land and Oxford Properties on their sale of the £1.15bn Leadenhall Building, also known as the Cheesegrater.

‘As one of the most highly respected investment agents in the London market, James will perfectly complement the strengths of our successful and established team and help us to continue to deliver exceptional outcomes,’ said Adam Hetherington, managing director of CBRE London.