MARK GLATMAN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

A solicitor by training, Mark has had extensive experience in the commercial property sector for over 40 years. Mark started in property at Baltic PLC where he became a main Board Director in 1985.

In 1988 Mark established the Akeler Group of Companies and over the next decade transformed the Group into a commercial real estate development business, focused on office and hi-tech industrial accommodation, during which time it developed over 4 million sq ft of commercial property. Mark sold the Group to a US real estate company, Security Capital European Realty in 1998 and by the time he left, Akeler had become one of the leading office park developers in the UK as well as being very active across Europe.

In 2000 Mark set up the Abstract Group of Companies to focus on property development and investment and venture capital projects.

Over the last 25 years Abstract has been recognised as one of the most active and innovative developers in the UK.

In 2012 it initiated its affordable office development program which led to the development of over 1,500,000 ft.² of new office buildings across the UK from Aberdeen in the north to Plymouth in the south. Some of these buildings were built speculatively such as Glasgow, Croydon, Basingstoke and Crawley/Gatwick Airport and some were bespoke for end-users, including the UK headquarters for Norwegian oil company Aker and various buildings for Babcock across the UK.

Most recently as an extension of its best in class, but affordable development programme, Abstract has also focussed on life science development in Cambridge and it completed the first building in its South Cambridge Science Centre development earlier in the year and is now leasing up the building.

Besides acting as a developer, Abstract also has a very active development management side. At an early stage of his career, Glatman realised that the rather arbitrary concept of building procurement was not something he wished to pursue. Drawing on his legal background, he established the concept of fixed price, fixed timetable and certain specification without provision for claims and delay. Using this concept on the development management side, Abstract is able to offer major corporate clients the absolute certainty of delivery of a building on a date and to a cost and this is proving increasingly popular particularly in the current market where there have been a number of contractor insolvencies and defaults.

Separate from its development and development management activities, Abstract has also been an active investor in both property and non-property ventures.

On the property side in 2001 it had a brief, but very successful, investment in the care home business trebling the value of its position and exiting within 16 months.

In 2010 recognising the opportunity offered by logistics and the need for more consented land, Abstract led a successful investment in Roxhill which over time achieve planning consents for around 25 million square-foot of new logistics space across the UK in key locations. This business was sold to Segro.

On the non-property side, Abstracts longest standing investment has been in the online pharmacy, Pharmacy2U. Increasingly, with its life science focus, Abstract and members of its team are investing in some of the earlier stage businesses that are also potential clients for its developments.

Mark is also very keen on the charity sector and established the Abstract Foundation in 2022. The Foundation aims to improve the lives of young people between the ages of 0 and 30 in the UK. The Foundation has actively supported education, youth homelessness and most recently a charity tackling and trying to avoid mental health issues in children arising from the internet and social media.

Mark won the Property Week Property Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2007 and also won the Outstanding Individual Award at the OAS Development Award ceremony in 2016.

Mark is a member of the Law Society and a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

CHRISTOPHER MCPHERSON

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Chris is development director for Abstract having worked closely with Mark in various capacities since the late ‘90’s.  He has had extensive property experience since 1982, including property investment, development and asset management throughout the UK. Chris is a Chartered Surveyor.

After a directorship with Lambert Smith Hampton, Chris was one of the founders of Collier and Madge plc, a niche firm of chartered surveyors specialising in commercial property management. He was responsible for a wide range of institutional, property company and private clients.

During this time Chris also worked as a consultant to Mark Glatman’s previous company, Akeler, including, amongst other projects, letting responsibility for the latter phases of development at Doxford International Business Park, prior to joining Abstract in a permanent role in 2007.

Chris has an active role in Group activities as well as promoting and looking at new opportunities for the company throughout the UK.

STEPHANIE MILES

FINANCE DIRECTOR

A member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, Stephanie has been with Abstract since its inception and worked as financial controller before taking on the responsibility of Finance Director in 2004.

Stephanie also worked with Mark Glatman at Akeler and has gained wide experience in the commercial property sector.  Stephanie combines all company secretarial duties with her role as Finance Director.

MICHAEL GALLACHER

CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR

Michael joined Abstract in March 2013 as Construction Project Manager and became Construction Director in July 2018.  Michael’s primary role, based in Scotland, involves managing all the design, planning and construction elements of various projects, including liaising with clients, producing specifications and working up design proposals for developments.

His role also includes monitoring due performance by the contractor and the professional team during the building process. In addition, with a legal and quantity surveying background, he ensures the appropriate procurement routes are considered and selected to ensure a client’s goals are achieved on budget and within programme.

Michael previously worked for Davis Langdon (AECOM) for 8 years and has wide-ranging experience within the project management field. He has successfully delivered a number of project management commissions in the commercial offices, healthcare, education and residential sectors.  Previously, Michael obtained extensive specialist experience in large-scale infrastructure and residential schemes when working in Libya.

ARCHIE BLAIR

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Archie Blair joined Abstract in June 2013, having worked for Mark Glatman’s Akeler Group in the 1990s, where he was responsible for managing the marketing, letting and sales of the Group’s property developments in Scotland, including Hamilton International Technology Park and Central Quay, Glasgow.

Archie is a qualified Chartered Surveyor with over 30 years’ experience in agency and commercial development and has held senior positions in private practice in both Scotland and the City of London. He previously sat on the Board of Argyll Community Housing Association as a non-executive Director.

He is closely involved with Mark Glatman and Chris McPherson in the delivery, marketing and letting of the Group’s projects.

CASSIE BEVERIDGE

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

Cassie works closely alongside Stephanie in the Finance Department.  She is a fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and has 17 years’ experience in Accountancy, Audit and Taxation.

Cassie joined Abstract in 2011 following 8 years working in an accountancy practice.

Cassie’s role involves preparing financial statements for various developments and companies within the Abstract Group, audit preparation, payroll and general legal and administrative duties.