Leslie Peter

I am the Head of Property & Facilities Management, driving our strategic journey towards quality workplaces for our people. To provide balance, I try very hard to maintain some level of fitness and known to be mad about football.

I'm proud to lead our team as we manage all aspects of corporate real estate. The journey begins with a strategy, moving into a lease transaction, followed by design & construction and rounding off with day to day management of facilities. This includes providing a safe place for our people to work in and playing our part in meeting our carbon net zero targets.

We work closely with the business to understand how to align property with growth plans. An important part of our role is to highlight the importance of the workplace with today's hybrid workforce. We strive to support the culture of the business by creating spaces that enable a sense of belonging and make the commute worthwhile.

I came to BDO with over thirty years experience in property, with the majority of that time spent with a global investment bank. My roles included Global Head of Property Management which allowed me to play a lead the acquisition of office space in places such as New York, Tokyo, Mumbai, Budapest, Frankfurt, Paris and Dubai.

I like the challenge of complex property deals, with one of my most significant achievements being the long term strategy for the banks London portfolio. This involved the sale and leaseback of a 350,000sqft building in Canary Wharf, leasing back 170,000sqft. This transaction raised significant funds for the business and provided a material reduction in operating costs.

I'm a firm believer in the benefits of diversity in business, reflected in roles on EMEA Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Executive Sponsor for African Caribbean Business Alliance and Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Corporate Services.

I founded the NSPCC Property Board in November 2021, as Chair I lead the our plan to support the charity by raising awareness and funding, leveraging our networks within the property sector.