Spear’s Review

Few advisers can claim to operate as smoothly in the UHNW property sphere as Alex Christian, who helped to found and currently co-heads Savills Private Office.

Savills Private Office caters to a growing niche of global UHNWs looking for the sort of property ‘only a handful of individuals on the planet might buy’, Christian tells Spear’s, and he is one of the few people around who can connect the dots. Under his guidance, Savills has grown its private office team to 28 people globally, with 14 based in the UK.

His enviable understanding of London’s most sought-after properties has resulted in a loyal client base. He says: ‘Clients tend to use me time and time again, and much of my client base originates from from personal referrals.’ 

Adviser Profile

Respected and recognised by high-net-worth individuals across the globe for his expertise at the very top end of the capital’s real estate market, Alex’s two decades’ worth of experience have seen him carve out a reputation as the agent of choice for many of the world’s wealthiest individuals and their advisers.

A founding member of The Private Office, Alex has helped to oversee growth of the firm’s dedicated service, with a network of advisers across the UK, Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East.

‘The expansion is a direct reflection of our clients’ evolving real estate requirements, and our role is to act as a single point of contact to assist them, wherever their geographical focus might lie. Through the connections, specialists and services we have internally, we are able to provide tailored advice every step of the way,’ he explains.

Alex cites the strength of the relationships he has as being central to his role. ‘Our clients look to us to create opportunities for them; whether that’s getting them through the door of a property that isn’t on the market or utilising our black book of contacts to source a buyer for their home. They count on us to deliver, and we do our very best to do so every single time.’

Reflecting on the current market, he acknowledges: ‘What we are seeing is buyers taking a “belt and braces” approach when it comes to a purchase, and selling in this market requires pragmatic “open for business” pricing. As well as turnkey properties, the once-in-a-generation opportunities are proving popular – people are drawn to what they perceive to be an exceptional purchase and a legacy asset.

‘I have been working in the central London property market for over 20 years, and it remains such a privilege to meet and support clients, many of whom have become firm friends. I am continually excited by the opportunity to sell some of the world's finest real estate and derive huge fulfilment from what I do.'