Sam Folley

He advises investors, developers, operators, occupiers and lenders on acquisitions, disposals, leasing, development projects and secured lending transactions, with particular expertise in operational real estate assets and complex portfolio management arrangements.

Sam is particularly recognised for his work in the aviation sector, where he has more than 15 years’ experience advising airport operators on expansion, development and airside real estate matters. His work spans leasing, infrastructure and development projects, with a strong focus on sustainability and ESG considerations in the future development of airports. He is a regular contributor to industry publications including Airport Technology, ESG Investor and Airports International.

In addition, Sam advises a number of Malaysian clients on UK real estate investment and asset management matters and works closely with the firm’s Malaysian office on cross-border real estate transactions and ongoing asset management work.

Sam is Head of the Commercial Transactions Team within the Real Estate department and is known for his commercial and pragmatic approach to transactions, particularly complex operational real estate projects involving multiple stakeholders, active assets and bespoke occupational arrangements. Clients value his responsiveness, availability and ability to drive transactions forward efficiently and collaboratively.

His clients include Outcomes First Group, Man Group, Permodalan Nasional Berhad, Octopus Real Estate, RAW Charging and Farnborough Airport.

Recent experience

• Advising Outcomes First Group on its autism school acquisition programme, including the acquisition of offices, schools and community buildings for conversion into specialist autism schools across the UK.
• Advising Farnborough Airport on the development of a new luxury departure lounge for FlexJet customers, including planning, real estate and construction aspects of the project within an operational airside environment.
• Advising Octopus Real Estate on a range of acquisitions, developments and forward funding transactions in the care sector, involving multiple operators and a variety of ownership and leasing structures. This has included the acquisition and forward funding of six Hamberley care homes in a £100 million transaction, including bespoke leasing arrangements and portfolio-wide operational structures for complex care facilities.
• Advising RAW Charging on the rollout of EV charging infrastructure across National Trust sites throughout England and Wales, as well as a major rollout programme across the Land Securities retail portfolio.
• Advising Permodalan Nasional Berhad on major pre-lettings at One Exchange Square, London, together with the leasing and management of its wider central London portfolio, including One Silk Street, 77 Queen Victoria Street and 125 Kingsway.
• Advising Man Property Holdings on the repositioning and reletting of Riverbank House, London, following the exit of Royal Bank of Canada and a major refurbishment project.
• Advising a UK airport owner and operator on the development and leasing of a new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility, including hangar space, offices, customer facilities and ancillary accommodation.
• Advising on a major title simplification project for a UK airport, involving the removal of historic restrictions and easements, restructuring leasehold interests and transferring freehold ownership to the airport operating company, together with advice on associated tax implications.
• Advising a UK airport operator on implementing a simplified occupational leasing structure across airport offices and hangars, including the preparation of bespoke all-inclusive leasing arrangements designed to provide operational flexibility and improve transaction efficiency.
• Advising the owner and operator of a UK airport on lettings of food and beverage and retail units within a departure lounge, including complex turnover rent arrangements linked to passenger footfall.