Toby Courtauld

Chief Executive, Great Portl Estates

Search every verified Toby Courtauld interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a June 2014 interview, Toby Courtauld, Chief Executive of Great Portland Estates, stated that the business had performed "very well" over the previous year, with the portfolio valuation up nearly 19% and net asset value (NAV) up almost 28%. He attributed this to exceptional results in the development business, which rose 31%, and rental growth of 8.2%, which he said outpaced the market average of around 6%. Courtauld claimed the company beat all of its main comparative benchmarks for the year. Courtauld also discussed the company's strategy, noting that with yields at relatively low levels, the firm aimed for high operational gearing and low financial gearing. He highlighted that loan-to-value was around 25%, interest cover was above four times, and the weighted average interest rate was 3.5%. He expressed confidence in future performance, citing low average rents in core London office and retail locations, and predicted continued rental growth, particularly in retail on streets like Oxford Street and Bond Street, where he said demand was high and new supply limited.