CONTACT US

Richard Pickering

Director of Strategic Foresight & Intelligence • United Kingdom

Richard Pickering
Send Me a Message
Local Office:

125 Old Broad Street
London, Greater London EC2N 1AR
United Kingdom

Office: +44 (20) 32963620

Mobile: +44 (7712) 893252

Download VCard

Richard Pickering

Director of Strategic Foresight & Intelligence • United Kingdom


About

Richard leads strategic innovation for the EMEA business of Cushman & Wakefield.

Working closely with global transformation, technology and regional counterparts, his responsibilities include guiding the development of the firm’s digital platform in EMEA, driving transformation projects to an overarching business vision, developing the EMEA operating model for Analytics, and acting as the lead EMEA sponsor for digital product development.

Richard is also a keynote speaker on the future of real estate. He publishes a bi-weekly blog, Futures /Cut, with a readership of 6,000, which addresses how technology, society, urbanism and economics are transforming the real estate industry. He is passionate on the subject of regeneration and is the sponsor of a current campaign on the Future of Cities.

Originally trained as a lawyer, Richard since held roles in real estate consulting, and as Head of the UK Insight team for Cushman & Wakefield. He founded C&W’s Futures programme and his immediately prior role was as Chief Strategy Officer for the UK business. He sits on C&W’s UK Exco, its EMEA leadership team and chairs the innovation chapter of the EMEA OpCo.

Awards & Recognition

MBA (Distinction)
MSc Property Appraisal (Distinction)
LPC (Distinction)
BA (Hons) Law (2.1)
Member of the RICS

UK INSIGHTS

oil pump on a field.jpg
Article • Economy

Kinetic Energy - UK Real Estate and the wider implications of the Iran conflict

The US–Israeli military campaign against Iran that began on 28th February and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have removed millions of barrels of daily supply from the market. On 9th March 2026, Brent crude spiked to $119.50 per barrel, the first time oil had traded above $100 since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Jason Winfield • 31/03/2026
emea-dc-update-h22025-web-card
Research

H2 2025 EMEA Data Centre Market Update

Strong AI, cloud, and sovereign digital demand continues to expand EMEA data centre capacity, while power availability, grid access, and regulatory constraints increasingly determine where new development occurs. 
Matyas Fazekas • 17/02/2026
London Big Ben Westminster Bridge sunset
MarketBeat

UK MarketBeats

Our Marketbeat reports provide quarterly commercial real estate market activity data covering supply, demand, and pricing trends. Explore our UK Marketbeat reports which cover office, life sciences, retail, industrial, investment, and specialist market sectors.
Edward Bavister • 28/07/2025
24053_Inclusive Cities EMEA Campaign_Homepage_Glasgow.png
Insights • Sustainability / ESG

Elevating Glasgow’s Urban Inclusivity

Here at Cushman & Wakefield, we have been evaluating the inclusiveness of 44 cities across EMEA including Glasgow through analysis of 110 detailed metrics.
20/08/2024
legal leading the way webcard small 750x456 png.png
Research

Legal Leading the Way for Top Regional Offices

In 2023, the legal sector reported its strongest year in terms of leasing activity since 2016 across the Big Five office markets (Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, and Manchester). 
Kiran Patel • 08/08/2024
GWS-EMEA-UK-Insights-The Fall In The Base Rate And What It Means For Capital Markets Mobile Hero.jpg
Research

The Right Time: The Fall In The Base Rate And What It Means For Capital Markets

Today, the Bank of England voted to bring down the base rate from 5.25% to 5.00% on a narrow margin of 5-4 committee members. While many expected this to be the case, this was by no means a foregone conclusion – with the minutes from the last meeting seeing plenty of mentions about being ‘finely balanced’.  
Daryl Perry • 01/08/2024
24053_Inclusive Cities EMEA Campaign_Web Card.png
Research • Sustainability / ESG

Elevating Manchester’s Urban Inclusivity

Here at Cushman & Wakefield, we have been evaluating the inclusiveness of 44 cities across EMEA including Manchester through analysis of 110 detailed metrics. These range across economic, social, spatial and environmental dimensions.
Caroline Baker • 16/07/2024
Experiential Leisure banners webcard
Insights

Playgrounds of Tomorrow

Access our Playgrounds of Tomorrow report into the UK’s Experiential Leisure market. Our research analyses the demand drivers for experiential leisure, discusses future supply trends and evaluates how experiential leisure can complement wider placemaking schemes.
Dominic Bouvet • 03/06/2024
EMEA-fitting-in-the-fit-out-webcard
Research • Workplace

Fitting in the Fit Out

Inflationary pressures that dominated the economic environment in 2022 and 2023 are showing signs of easing across the UK economy. The consequential increases in the Bank of England’s base rate up to 5.25% – the highest level since 2008 – are now expected to gradually ease over the medium-term.
Mark Denford • 08/05/2024
person drawing a chart in marker on glass
Insights

The EMEA Investor Update

A regular update on the commercial real estate investment scene in Europe.
James Young • 27/10/2022
Southwark station empty escalator
Insights • Economy

UK Real Estate Market View

A regular update on the commercial real estate market in the UK.
31/05/2022
modern office meeting room
Article

Commercial Property

Dedicated to delivering effective services in the EMEA region. 

What's new

Flex Space Press Release (002)_card.jpg
Flight to Quality Drives Grade A Office Space to Record 80% of Take-up in Central London

Total take-up reaches 2.55 million sq ft in Q2 2025.

Lauren Joselyn • 07/08/2025

Appoints Ben Cullen As Head Of UK Ireland webcard.png
Cushman & Wakefield Appoints Ben Cullen As Head Of UK & Ireland

Cushman & Wakefield has appointed Ben Cullen as Head of UK & Ireland, succeeding George Roberts who is leaving the firm.

Richard Coleman • 18/07/2025

Chris Bennett High Res.jpg
Cushman & Wakefield Appoints Chris Bennett As Head of London Offices Capital Markets

Cushman & Wakefield has appointed experienced real estate finance leader Chris Bennett as Head of London Offices Capital Markets.

Richard Coleman • 10/07/2025

us midyear outlook_homepage hero.jpg
From Caution to Strategic Conviction: European Real Estate Finds Its Footing

European real estate is still a strong play, offering real income-producing assets backed by solid long-term trends and fundamentals says Cushman & Wakefield.

Lauren Joselyn • 11/06/2025

AdobeStock_269998758.jpeg
Grade A London Office Space Facing Considerable Squeeze Beyond 2025

New quarterly London office data from Cushman & Wakefield highlights the constrained conditions faced by occupiers seeking Grade A space in London and points to further challenges to come, with just 5.91 million sq ft of total office space currently under construction and available beyond 2025.

Lauren Joselyn • 06/05/2025

Rod Edwards.jpg
Cushman & Wakefield Appoints Rod Edwards As Partner In Rating Team

Based in London, Edwards will play a pivotal role in supporting the firm's existing clients, developing the team, and focusing on new business opportunities.

Lauren Joselyn • 01/04/2025

Patrick Hogan_.jpg
Cushman & Wakefield Appoints Patrick Hogan As Head Of EMEA Living Capital Markets

Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has appointed Patrick Hogan as Head of EMEA Living Capital Markets.

Richard Coleman • 06/03/2025

Central-London.jpg
Stane Retail Park In Colchester Sells For £33.95M

In the first major retail park acquisition of 2025, a private South African investor client of Pembrey Asset Management has acquired Stane Retail Park, Colchester, from developer The Churchmanor Estates Company plc, for £33.95 million.

Richard Coleman • 17/02/2025

Central-London.jpg
Central London Office Market Defies Economic Challenges With Robust Leasing And A Positive 2025 Forecast

The Central London office leasing market demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2024, achieving an overall take-up of 9.68 million sq ft, a 1% increase on 2023 and the second highest volume in the past five years, according to Cushman & Wakefield's latest ‘Central London Offices Marketbeat’ report.

Lauren Joselyn • 06/02/2025

EMEA_ABSTRACT_AdobeStock_805055637.jpeg
Powerhouse Markets Lead EMEA Data Centre Growth As New Markets Emerge To Reshape Landscape

A total of 21GW of data centre capacity across EMEA was operational, under construction, or in planning stages at the end of 2024 with operators increasingly looking beyond traditional powerhouse markets to meet demand, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

Richard Coleman • 05/02/2025

europe-real-estate-card.jpg
European Commercial Real Estate Markets Experience Significant Yield Compression In Q4

New data from Cushman & Wakefield reveals that a growing number of European commercial real estate markets saw prime yields move inwards in Q4 2024, with 24 market sectors reporting an inward shift in Q4 2024, double the number in Q3, providing a clearer signal that Europe’s investment markets are on the road to recovery at the prime end of the market.  

Richard Coleman • 04/02/2025

Janne Eriksson-bio.jpg
Cushman & Wakefield Completes Acquisition Of Its Affiliate In Finland

Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has completed the acquisition of its affiliate in Finland, having announced in November that it had entered a definitive agreement to acquire the firm.

 

Richard Coleman • 17/01/2025

Services

Development
There are now five economic factors of production - Labour, Land, Capital, Entrepreneurship, and Data. At Cushman & Wakefield, we understand the significance of each to generating successful outcomes in real estate development.
Learn More
Planning I Development

Our Planning team pairs strategic insight of the planning process with local, ‘boots-on-the-ground’ intelligence to give our clients the real benefit of a truly national platform.

Learn More
Agency Leasing Services
Driving optimised leasing investments
Learn More

MORE INSIGHTS

Iran-Israel Instant Insight web-card
Research • Economy

How the Middle East Conflict Is Shaping Europe’s Economy and Commercial Real Estate

Considerable uncertainty remains across many areas, resulting in increased market volatility.
Dominic Brown • 01/04/2026
Iran-Israel Instant Insight web-card
Research • Economy

How the Middle East Conflict Is Shaping Asia Pacific’s Economy and Commercial Real Estate

The Middle East conflict has now persisted long enough that economic impacts are beginning to emerge.
Dominic Brown • 01/04/2026
Iran-Israel Instant Insight web-card
Research • Economy

Middle East Conflict: Implications for Energy, Inflation, and CRE

On March 1, 2026, the United States and Israel carried out coordinated military strikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. 
Kevin Thorpe • 11/03/2026
Iran-Israel Instant Insight web-card
Research • Economy

Middle East Conflict: Implications for Energy, Inflation, and CRE

On March 1, 2026, the United States and Israel carried out coordinated military strikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. 
Kevin Thorpe • 11/03/2026
AI Hub-webcard.jpg
Research • Technology

AI Impact Hub

Artificial intelligence is moving into a stage where we are starting to see real, measurable impact instead of just speculation.
03/03/2026
Retail Sector Impact webcard
Research

AI Impact on Retail

AI is reshaping retail economics - not just by improving online, but by changing what physical space is for.
Richard Pickering • 02/03/2026
AI Impact on Real Estate webcard-8.jpg
Research

AI Impact on Operational Real Estate

AI is starting to rewire operational real estate - assets where value is delivered through services and experience as much as through physical space.
Richard Pickering • 02/03/2026
ai-impact-office-webcard.jpg
Research

AI Impact on Offices

AI is reshaping the economics of work, with material implications over the next decade.
Richard Pickering • 02/03/2026
AI Impact LI webcard-3.jpg
Research

AI Impact on Logistics & Industrial

AI is reshaping the economics of logistics and industrial real estate by reducing uncertainty and making networks more dynamic.
Richard Pickering • 02/03/2026
AI Impact on Cities webcard-4.jpg
Research

AI Impact on Cities

AI is creating a new competitive frame for cities - not just in talent and lifestyle, but in infrastructure, permitting, and operational capability.
Richard Pickering • 02/03/2026
ai-impact-dashboard-webcard.jpg
Research

AI Impact Barometer: Conviction in a Transforming World

A powerful analytical tool that monitors, measures, and interprets the wide-ranging effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on the macroeconomy and the commercial real estate (CRE) ecosystem.
Abby Corbett • 19/02/2026

STORIES

Ogury Japan new office
Ogury Japan • Digital Marketing
Learn More
Galatyn Commons Story.png
Galatyn Commons • Office
Learn More
Wijnegem Shopping Center
AEW, AXA
The Cushman & Wakefield Retail Agency team just signed five new deals in the Wijnegem Shopping Center and successfully attracted new retailers in Belgium, despite the current pandemic. 
Learn More
With your permission we and our partners would like to use cookies in order to access and record information and process personal data, such as unique identifiers and standard information sent by a device to ensure our website performs as expected, to develop and improve our products, and for advertising and insight purposes.

Alternatively click on More Options and select your preferences before providing or refusing consent. Some processing of your personal data may not require your consent, but you have a right to object to such processing.

You can change your preferences at any time by returning to this site or clicking on Cookies.
MORE OPTIONS
Agree and Close
These cookies ensure that our website performs as expected,for example website traffic load is balanced across our servers to prevent our website from crashing during particularly high usage.
These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced features. These cookies do not gather any information about you that could be used for advertising or remember where you have been on the internet.
These cookies allow us to work with our marketing partners to understand which ads or links you have clicked on before arriving on our website or to help us make our advertising more relevant to you.
Agree All
Reject All
SAVE SETTINGS