Robert Montague Noel (born 12 June 1964) is a British businessman, and the chairman of

Hammerson Hammerson plc is a major British property development and investment company. The firm switched to real estate investment trust (REIT) status when they were introduced in the United Kingdom in January 2007. It is listed on the London Stock Excha ...

since September 2020. He was the chief executive (CEO) of

Land Securities Land Securities Group plc is the largest commercial property development and investment company in the United Kingdom. The firm became a real estate investment trust (REIT) when REITs were introduced in the United Kingdom in January 2007. It is ...

, the largest commercial property company in the UK, from 2012 until March 2020.

Early life

Noel was educated at

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...

. He went on to study at

Reading University The University of Reading is a public university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as University College, Reading, a University of Oxford extension college. The institution received the power to grant its own degrees in 192 ...

and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1986. is a qualified

chartered surveyor Chartered Surveyor is the description (protected by law in many countries) of Professional ''Members'' and ''Fellows'' of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) entitled to use the designation (and a number of variations such as "Charte ...

Career

On 31 March 2012, Noel succeeded Francis Salway as chief executive of

. Noel had been managing director of the company's London properties, having joined Land Securities in January 2010 from

Great Portland Estates Great Portland Estates plc (branded as GPE) is a British property development and investment company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. The firm switched to Real Estate Investment Trust status wh ...

plc, where he had been property director since 2002. Noel has had other roles as chairman of the Westminster Property Association, a Director of The New West End Company and a trustee and director of the charity LandAid. In March 2020 he stood down as CEO of Land Securities, and has been the chairman of

since September 2020."Land Securities' profits more than double on bumper London developments"
''The Telegraph'', 19 May 2015. Accessed 29 October 2015. In December 2022, it was announced that Noel would succeed

Irene Dorner Irene Mitchell Dorner (born 5 December 1954) was the former president, CEO and managing director of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. and HSBC USA. In 2014, she retired from her 32-year career at HSBC. A qualified barrister at law, during her ca ...

as chair of

Taylor Wimpey Taylor Wimpey plc (formerly Taylor Woodrow plc) is one of the largest home construction companies in the United Kingdom. The company was created from the merger of rivals Taylor Woodrow and George Wimpey on 3 July 2007. It is listed on the Lond ...

after the company's April 2023 AGM.

Personal life

Noel and his French wife Sophie have a son and two daughters, and own homes in London and Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. Noel has a tattoo on his bottom (believed to be an

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae an ...

), obtained in Thailand in his youth.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Noel, Robert Living people 1964 births British chief executives British corporate directors Businesspeople from London People educated at Marlborough College Alumni of the University of Reading