New chairman appointed at Hortons Estate Ltd

Peter Horton has been appointed chairman of Birmingham property company Hortons’ Estate.

His appointment follows the retirement of Richard Samuda, who has stepped down as chairman and non-executive director after 11 years.

Peter is a fifth generation Horton and the sixth member of the family to become chairman of the family-owned business.

A qualified chartered surveyor, Peter originally worked for Grimley J R Eve (now Bilfinger GVA) before joining Hortons’ Estate in 1995. He has served on the board since 2001.

In addition to being a non-executive director of Hortons’ Estate, Peter is a divisional director of Investec Wealth, running the firm’s Cheltenham office and specialising in multi-asset investment management for individuals and corporations.

Hortons’ Estate has also appointed Peter Lee and Simon Gulliford as non-executive board directors.

Mr Lee is a qualified solicitor and spent ten years in private practice with City law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, specialising in commercial litigation and intellectual property. He currently runs a Family Office managing trusts and investments. In 2010 he joined London-based investment, asset management, development, and commercial property company Chancerygate as general counsel. Mr Lee initially worked with Chancerygate as an investor and more recently as a shareholder and board director. Mr Lee succeeds Richard Kirby, who has stepped down from the Hortons’ board after 19 years of service.

Simon Gulliford has extensive corporate and board experience. As the marketing director of Sears he helped to re-launch and subsequently demerge Selfridges, before being appointed marketing development director of EMAP plc.

Mr Gulliford was also group marketing director for Barclays plc and, until March 2011, was the chief marketing officer for Standard Life plc. He is currently non-executive director of Aegon plc and Morgan Sindall and is chairman of Hendy Motor Group. Peter Horton said:

I am extremely honoured to have been passed the chairman’s baton by Richard Samuda, who has been a loyal servant of the company for the past 11 years, seven of which as chairman.

Both he and Richard Kirby have made an invaluable contribution to both the company and the Horton family and leave the business in good shape.

This is an exciting time for Hortons’ and I am very much looking forward to working with my colleagues on the board, including Peter and Simon, who each have a wealth of experience in their respective professions to bring to the table, and the management team to develop the business further.

Hortons’ Estate is an independent, family-owned property company. Founded in the 1870’s by Isaac Horton, it has grown into a multi-million pound business, with a portfolio comprising leisure, retail, offices and industrial property, including the historic Grade II* listed Grand on Colmore Row, Birmingham.

Hortons’ owns and manages property worth circa £200m. The Estate’s 1.8m sq ft hosts more than 600 tenants, generating a rent roll of more than £15m per annum.