Our Team

Vanessa became Chief Executive of Real Estate:UK in June 2026. She is a business leader and innovator with nearly 25 years of extensive experience in corporate strategy, research, data, and innovation across a variety of real estate sectors and geographies. 

Immediately before joining RE:UK, she headed up the research and strategy function at BNP Paribas Real Estate’s UK business and was a member of the executive leadership team, where she was recognized as an AI pioneer and technology-forward thinker, committed to fostering a culture of openness and transparency. Vanessa is also a long-standing supporter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), having served as its UK Chair between 2019 and 2021 and remaining a trustee to this day.

Ahead of taking up post as Strategic Adviser, Melanie was Chief Executive of the British Property Federation (BPF) from 2015 until the BPF’s merger with AREF and IPF in April 2026. Following the merger, she served as interim CEO of the newly formed Real Estate:UK.

Before joining the BPF, Melanie spent nine years as Director General of the Food and Drink Federation.

Melanie began her working life as a Police Constable in the Metropolitan Police Service and subsequently held a number of senior roles in the civil service.

Melanie is a Trustee of the property industry charity LandAid and Chair of the Council of the University of Essex. She was awarded a CBE in 2015 for services to the food and drink industry.