James Woolley takes the helm of the UK Student Accommodation team
LONDON, 28 April 2025 - Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has appointed James Woolley as Head of UK Student Accommodation.
Woolley, who has specialised in the PBSA market for the last 14 years, joined Cushman & Wakefield in 2021 as a Partner to lead PBSA Valuations. He will now head up the entire UK Student Accommodation team – a role that spans valuation, advisory and transactional services – with a personal focus on Capital Markets.
Cushman & Wakefield’s specialist Student Accommodation team advises both universities and private sector firms, and has experts based across the UK, including leading student cities London, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, and Bristol.
James Woolley, Head of UK Student Accommodation at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “At Cushman & Wakefield we are privileged to work with many of the UK’s leading investors, developers, operators, and public bodies, and are one of the most active agents in the market. Our work provides us with rich data and insight - some of the strongest analytics in the sector - which is based on a unique dataset that is unmatched in both its depth of historical information and scope of real time metrics. It ensures our specialists are in an unrivalled position to advise and create opportunities for our clients. I look forward to collaborating with and leading my talented colleagues across the country and continuing to build on their fantastic work.”
Additionally, Edmund Hendry has been promoted to Partner in the national PBSA Capital Markets team. The team has recently been involved in several notable transactions, including CVC DIF’s acquisition of Mapletree’s Glasgow and Edinburgh assets, the sale of land in Manchester for the ‘Apex’ PBSA development, and the disposal of Benson Yard in Liverpool.
The firm’s Valuation business, which last year valued more than £10bn of assets and 90,000 beds, will now be led by Charlie Armour who has recently been promoted to Partner.
James Dunne, Head of UK Living at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “These promotions and the recognition of the talent within the business is another positive step as we continue to enhance our Living platform. James is one of the most respected figures in the PBSA market and brings a deep understanding and knowledge to his new role. He will further embed his client-focussed approach through the team, coupling market knowledge with our unique data capability to present best-in-class advice and solutions.”
Cushman & Wakefield’s Student Accommodation team is part of its Living platform which also operates across BTR, PRS, seniors housing, and the wider residential and land markets providing a range of capital markets, valuation and advisory, leasing and management, consultancy, and development services. Drawing on advanced data and analytical tools, proprietary research and insight, and in-depth market knowledge, they deliver holistic advice, transactions, and solutions to investors, developers, operators, landowners, and the public sector.
