Landlord Landsec names chief for newly-created data and tech post

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Jun 15, 2023

UK property giant Landsec has appointment Nisha Manaktala to its executive leadership team in a newly created role of Chief Data and Technology Officer. The importance of the post means she will report directly to CEO Mark Allan. 

Manaktala joins Landsec from insurance group Hiscox Re & ILS where she was Chief Technology Officer. She has over 20 years’ technology leadership experience working in various roles across start-ups and global enterprises with expertise across data, engineering and operations. 

She has also been featured in the well-respected ‘Top 100 CIO’ in the UK, recognised for “delivering digital business transformation through complex change programmes”. 

Allan said: “As we continue to progress our strategy, data and technology will play an ever increasing role. Nisha’s expertise in delivering digital business transformation will help us ensure that Landsec is not only equipped to operate in the complex world… but also continue to thrive into the future.”

She joins at an increasingly tough time for Landsec as the Bluewater mall operator and St Davids, Cardiff owner swung to an annual loss in May, as surging interest rates and broader economic woes weighed on the valuation of its portfolio. And the UK’s biggest property company admitted it was likely to sell more assets than make purchases.

Landsec, which has a £10.2 billion property portfolio, down 7.7% on a year ago, saw losses before tax hit £622 million for the year ended 31 March versus a profit of £875 million last year.