Belmont Asset Management continues its series of interviews with successful South African entrepreneurs. This month we feature Viv Delbridge and Brent Wiltshire, the founders of Willbridge Property Company.
Q1: Tell us about your business and the industry in which you operate.
WE are a property transaction and investment company targeting corporate clients across all property sectors. We focus primarily on reviewing property or property portfolio needs, developing a strategy and concluding transactions to buy, sell, let, sub-let or finance accordingly.
We use a range of strategic partnerships within the property sector (relating to finance, development, valuation, space planning, research, facilities management, feasibilities, etc.) as well as our extensive property networks to create the solutions to our clients’ diverse property needs.
Q2: Tell us about the motivation behind the original idea and any major milestones.
All organisations are faced with major property deliberations and decisions as they grow., consolidate or merge. Decisions around the physical environment in which businesses operate (leases, property investments, space requirements, location, facility management, etc. ) are strategic and key to continued success, but also expose an organisation to long term risk, whether it is through a lease commitment, a financial structure in a property acquisition or merely a decision to refurbish an interior space.
Decision makers do not always have the necessary property skills and expertise to make informed decisions. This is where we saw the gap in the market – to use our experience and track record to provide tailored solutions.
In our first 12 months of operation we concluded a number of deals that helped to launch the company. Notable, we concluded a 12-year Nedbank corporate lease for a development of 22,000m2 in Gauteng, followed closely by a land sale in Cape Town that will result in a R250 student housing accommodation scheme. Our pipeline of opportunities sees us operating nationally and more recently we have opportunities in Africa and Saudi Arabia.
Q3: What are your plans for your business over the next five to ten years?
Our vision is to create long-term capital wealth and to become Africa’s leading property solutions company. Over the next five years we will focus on building a pipeline of opportunity with our clients, based on innovative property ideas, value and service.
Q4: What do you look for in a wealth manager?
We are still in our start-up phase and have invested our accumulated investment capital with Belmont Asset Management. Our goal was to find an innovative and experienced asset management team that is relationship driven and offers the highest levels of integrity. We also value an approachable and open-minded philosophy.
Q5: What are your long term investment goals?
To continue to invest in high quality shares that can be held over the long-term and to have a diversified portfolio, not only across different asset classes and sectors but also with rand hedge properties.
ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN 2013 | CAPE TIMES