Knight Frank

The overview

Knight Frank LLP is a global property consultancy operating within commercial, residential and rural markets and handling property worth over £594 billion.

It opened in 1896 as Knight Frank & Rutley, a valuations, surveying and auctions business. Knight Frank currently has 209 offices in 47 countries in Europe, the Asia-Pacific and Middle East, Australia, Africa and the Caribbean. It employs around 6,840 worldwide staff (including affiliates). There are 63 offices and 1,562 staff in the UK.

The firm became a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) in 2003, and is now run by 59 proprietary partners. At 2010 year-end, the firm had a worldwide annual turnover of £320 million, an £18 million increase from 2009, and a UK annual turnover of £173 million, an increase of £20 million.

Business areas and markets

Commercial

The commercial division provides a range of services for clients in the office, retail, industrial, student property, hotels and healthcare sectors. It also advises and carries out services for the public sector including estate strategy and management, regeneration and development, and project implementation which can include anything from relocation to valuations.

In 2005, the firm was appointed to assist in the development of London’s Olympic Village for the 2012 Games.

Residential

The residential teams provide services for many different types of residential properties (eg affordable housing, new homes, mixed-use developments, student properties and institutional properties such as care homes, foster homes and convents). Clients include developers, institutional landlords such as housing authorities and individual landowners.

The Buying Solution is the firm’s buying agency, which specialises in finding and securing properties valued over £1 million for clients.

The firm also supplies a corporate relocation service, which finds property for employees who are relocating. Clients are individual executives or HR managers.

Rural

The rural property division provides agricultural and rural consultancy advice to landowners and farmers throughout the UK.

Clients have included Wilson Bowden, Prudential, Sterling Capitol, Landmark Developments, Munroe K, Gladman and Network Rail.

Knight Frank Investors

Knight Frank Investors was established in April 2010 and provides investment and fund management services for institutional investors (such as pension funds and insurance funds) and wealthy individuals. It is wholly owned by Knight Frank LLP but operates as a separate business and does not appear to offer graduate opportunities.

Rankings and awards

• Ranked at number 3 for UK turnover and at number 8 for worldwide turnover in Property Week’s ‘Agency 2010’ survey, which ranks firms for their performance in this area of the industry.
• Named Investment Agency Team of the Year at the Property Awards in 2010 and its professional services team were highly commended in 2009.
• Named Property Adviser of the Year for London and the South East at the EG (Estates Gazette) National Awards 2009.
• Won a silver award for their achievement in technology and online at the Estate Agency Awards in 2009.

Salary and benefits

Knight Frank does not disclose information regarding its graduate salary and benefits package. However, the firm states that this is reviewed each year to ensure it remains at a competitive rate. Competitive graduate starting salaries at property firms are currently around £20,000 to £25,000, with those working in London receiving the higher end of the range.

Culture and values

Graduate testimonials suggest that, despite its global reaches, Knight Frank has the feel of a small firm with a friendly atmosphere. It appears to encourage employees to have healthy social lives within the firm: as well as nights out, it is possible to take part in sporting leagues and events, whether netball, softball, football or hockey. Traditions include divisional rounders and ‘surveyors 7s’ rugby tournaments, and a ‘commercial versus residential’ cricket match.

Socialising with other firms

Networking events will be a regular occurrence in graduates’ first few months. Knight Frank’s graduates do not only socialise with each other but also with graduates at other firms, which is crucial for building up future contacts within the profession.

Sponsorship

The advice the firm gives to clients is down-to-earth and straight-talking.

In its recruitment literature the firm promotes the down-to-earth and straight-talking nature of the advice it gives to its clients, with one senior member of the firm likening it to the kind of advice you would give to your family.

Knight Frank also sponsors various charitable activities; for the past two years it has helped The Haven, a breast cancer charity, by sponsoring its Celebrity Quiz, held at Porchester Hall, London, and its Hereford National quiz. It has also become a sponsor of the 7oaks Triathlon, one of the UK’s premier multi-sport events.