YOUR PARTNERS IN PBSA
MEET THE TEAM
JAMES PULLAN | MRICS
James has specialised in Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) for over twenty five years and has become a leading voice of authority in the sector.
As a Proprietary Partner at Knight Frank he established the foremost Student Property team with over twenty UK staff linked into a specialist global network. The team annually undertook over £1bn of funding and over £10bn of valuations of PBSA stock.
James has established a personal reputation for devising strategies to successfully identify Institutional funding solutions from across the globe for the UK’s highest profile assets and portfolios. His outstanding track record has included working with clients to include Unite Group Plc, Goldman Sachs, Hello Student, Fusion Students, Arlington Advisors and Mapletree Pte Ltd.
James holds an Honours Degree in Land Management and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
CONTACT
SAM BALL | MRICS
Sam Ball has over fifteen years’ experience specialising in the PBSA sector. Prior to co-founding Beachrock, Sam was an Equity Partner and Board Director at Fusion Students where he held the position of Head of Property Transactions.
During Sam’s tenure at Fusion Students, he oversaw the acquisition in eight strategically important UK cities, of over 5,000 beds with a total GDV in excess of £650m. In 2019 Sam concluded his role in the strategy and sourcing of overseas equity for the disposal of the £232m “Stellar Portfolio”. Sam has extensive experience in the transaction, funding, operations and development of UK PBSA. His track record includes investment strategy, portfolio assembly, portfolio disposal and the development of trophy assets.
Sam began his PBSA career with James Pullan at Knight Frank, where he spent four years within the Student Property Team specialising in PBSA investment.
Sam holds a First-Class Honours Degree in Real Estate Management and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
CONTACT
RACHEL PENGILLEY | MRICS
Rachel has specialised in PBSA for over 15 years and has become widely recognised in the sector for her expertise and track record.
Rachel joined the Knight Frank Student Property Team at the same time as James Pullan and was an integral part of its creation and development. As a Partner at Knight Frank, Rachel’s investment and development experience in the sector included working on trophy PBSA projects across the UK. Her client list includes working for the majority of key investors, funds and equity providers. Her extensive list of “Black Book” contacts has been established through the volume of investment transactions she has personally undertaken.
In Q2 of 2024 Rachel joined Beachrock as a Partner to focus on investment disposals, new equity links, development funding and structured funding arrangements.
Rachel holds an Honours Degree from the University of Nottingham, a Post Graduate Diploma from the College of Estate Management and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.