Meet the riders: Charlotte & Rachel, Knight Frank

In today's interview with riders from the upcoming Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM, we're talking to first-time riders Charlotte and Rachel from headline sponsor Knight Frank.

Tell us a little bit about yourselves:

Charlotte Swearman (CS): I oversee and manage transactions throughout EMEA for large corporates with global property portfolios.

Rachel O’Brien (ROB): I am responsible for the operational aspects of the Global Portfolio Solutions EMEA and Strategic Consulting EMEA departments.

What are you most looking forward to about Cycle to MIPIM?

CS: After Covid and the difficulties faced as a result during the last couple of years I’m just really looking forward to getting out of my comfort zone and doing something totally different and I think having had such restrictions for the last couple of years I will appreciate the experience even more!

ROB: Being abroad and everything there is to love about France! Like Charlotte, I too am looking forward to getting out of my comfort zone and embracing all that the challenge will throw our way. I am looking forward to meeting all the other riders and support crew in real life! After many email, WhatsApp and phone call exchanges, it’ll be great to build that in-person rapport that many of us have been craving these last two years.

What are you dreading / have you been warned about?

CS: I’ve had some great advice from colleagues who have done the cycle before. I’ve been told that the best stages are in the last two days so to keep something in the tank for then. I’m dreading the weather not being on our side, I’m really struggling with my feet turning into ice blocks on long rides (despite a combination of socks/shoe covers/feet warmers) and I’ve heard some horror stories about -5 degree mornings (thanks to Euan Kelly in the Knight Frank Edinburgh office for that one!). I think for both Rachel and I being relatively new to cycling and being first timers doing the Cycle to MIPIM we are probably a bit blissfully unaware about what lies ahead!

ROB: In my first year at Knight Frank 6 years ago, I worked on the stand at MIPIM and remember vividly the team riding in on the first day and someone telling me the worst thing for them were the long periods of silence when out on the road. It has stuck with me ever since yet I now regard this as time to be mindful and practice this by going out on my own listening to the road, my thoughts and whatever random song is on loop in my head that I last heard.

But what I am really dreading are the hills! One of the clubs I ride with have taken me to a hill in the Chilterns aptly nicknamed the ‘Nemesis’, a heart racer for sure. I daren’t look up the gradients on the planned route to MIPIM, I will have to tackle each one as they come.

How are you approaching training?

CS: I’m trying to keep it as varied as possible so a mixture of long rides on the bike and spin classes as well as Barry’s Bootcamp. I also commute by bike into the office. I’m looking forward to doing some of the Club Peloton organised rides to meet other participants and improve my confidence in cycling in a large group.  

ROB: Road cycling was all very new to me, I never owned a road bike till last December, had no idea where to start with training till I found a local bike shop, Pankhurst Cycles. They have been guiding me every step of the way. Through them, I have met an amazing network of people in the Reading and Bia Cycling Clubs, they offer endless invaluable advice, support and helped me find a confidence on the road I never knew I had.

With that confidence, I try to go on three medium to long rides a week, whether on my own or with the cycling clubs. And, if I’m allowed to admit, I join a few spin classes the rest of the time.

What would you most like to get out of the ride?

CS: I’m looking forward to the challenge, both physically and mentally and the sense of achievement of accomplishing the ride and also knowing that we have managed to raise money for such a wonderful cause. I’m also looking forward to getting to know the rest of the riders as well, we can already see the camaraderie building on various WhatsApp groups/Club Peloton cycles within the team so I’m excited to get to know everyone in person and share this experience with them. I think as well there has been a perception that Cycle to MIPIM is not an event that appeals to women, we are keen to show other women in the industry that you can take part, even if you are new to cycling as we both are.

ROB: That sense of achievement after every ride, every day and riding into MIPIM itself! I have thrown myself in to this challenge starting from the very beginning and really want to see it through to the end. After attending the presentation evening back in October and hearing that this was open to anyone, regardless of their cycling background and experience, I was all for it. I want to do this for myself and anyone who feels it may be out of their reach or unobtainable, “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!”.

What have been the biggest changes or shifts you have seen in GPS over the past 18-24 months?

CS: Huge changes in how offices are used, the majority of companies are adopting a hybrid model between working from home and office based which has impacted on the quality and quantity of space required.  It’s not necessarily the case that all occupiers want to downsize in light of Covid but we have seen that the majority of occupiers are using their space differently.

Change in the mentality of staff, as noted in our flagship (Y)OUR SPACE report, offices need to be strategic, sustainable, safe and smart to attract and retain the best talent.  

ROB: So we have gone from clients asking ‘how can we transform our workplace’, to instead being asked ‘how do we implement hybrid working’. This is a subtle but impactful mindset change which enables us to deliver workplace strategies that go further in enhancing operational, experience and efficiency benefits.

How do you expect GPS to change / what changes do you expect to see over the next 12-18 months?

CS: Continued importance of ESG. Flight to talent. A period of finding balance as the workforce and their employers adapt to a post Covid landscape.

ROB: Great question. Interestingly, our very own Dr. Lee Elliott, Head of Occupier Research, has written a piece on Knight Frank’s predictions for global occupier markets. A notable anticipated change is that, we appear to be moving into a period of transformation. It is foreseen that there will be a prolonged evolution within the global office market over a number of years, as opposed to a short term experiment in workplace trends.

Businesses are mindful to be more akin to employees’ workstyles and workplace expectations. By no means as drastic as the likely death of the office or office markets. Alternatively, it is a structural change whereby the commercial real estate sector needs to show agility when adapting.

We are also anticipating to see much more focus on manufacturing supply chains post the pandemic and the prospect of re-shoring operations in Asia to near shore Eastern European locations as well as the main domestic markets like UK, France and Germany. These new operations will also be significantly more automated to offset higher labour costs but also provide resilience in the event of future crisis.

In all sectors businesses will be looking to change and our consultants will be helping our clients through the challenges and opportunities that they face. 

You can also listen to Charlotte and Rachel on the EG Property Podcast, with editor Sam McClary and riders from each of the Team sponsors here.