James Gubbins

Spear’s Review

James Gubbins works closely with Sotheby's International Realty colleague Simon Burgoyne – both joined the firm from Knight Frank at the same time – to find UHNWs homes in Mayfair and St James’s. 

The well-known dealmaker says there has been a Mayfair resurgence of late, off the back of the weakness in the pound. It’s also seen by some UHNW buyers as preferable to busier, ‘more transient’ neighbourhoods such as Knightsbridge.  

Plus, the ‘diversity of unit sizes’ on offer to buy in Mayfair ‘is amazing’, he says. ‘We’ve got houses of 20,000 square foot on our books, and one-bedroom flats at £2 million, £3 million and £4 million.’ It helps that along with Burgoyne, Gubbins has a sizeable contacts book of local estate agents, buying agents and corporate clients to scope out the best homes.

Before moving into the world of property, Gubbins earned a degree in zoology from the Royal Veterinary College. He began his career as a negotiator at Winkworth.