As an award-winning and well-known thought leader in the real estate recruitment space, Madison Berkeley has always done things differently. Their team’s expertise comes from years of real estate recruitment experience. However, what sets them apart is their genuine interest in building relationships and supporting other organisations that are also on a journey to change the face of real estate. For our latest Catching Up With feature, we sat down with Patrick O’Gorman, CEO of Bywater. Patrick reflects on his route into the sector, the challenges of leadership through constant change, and why reducing carbon in the built environment has become the driving force behind his career.
Rugby, Real Estate, and a commercial start
My route into property wasn’t conventional. I studied Geography at King’s College London in the late 1990s. I was drawn to the modules that explored architecture, urban development, and how cities evolve. I loved travelling and experiencing different cities, each with its own character and atmosphere, and that curiosity about places naturally led me towards real estate. But I didn’t really understand how to break into the industry. I wasn’t sure of the difference between a QS, a project manager, or a commercial surveyor back then, and none of my applications were going anywhere. Rugby gave me my unexpected break. I moved to Belfast to play and that came with career training, and I managed to secure a role at a small commercial practice. That first year involved playing rugby and working as a property manager, as well as studying for a master’s in real estate.
Eastern Europe not Sydney
After completing the CBRE graduate scheme in London and qualifying in 18 months, I spent nearly a decade focusing on Central London investment. I was working on landmark office deals and learning specifically from Stephen Hubbard. But after several years, my now wife and I wanted to travel, and I asked about opportunities abroad. I had my sights set on Sydney or the UAE, somewhere hot. Instead, I was sent to Eastern Europe. At 25, being asked to run a team overseas was a huge challenge but also an incredible opportunity. The exposure to responsibility at that age shaped my career, and it was also where I met Richard Walker. He had established Bywater in Poland but was preparing to return to his family business, Iceland Foods. When he did, he invited me to join the team, so I came back to London in 2013 and have been leading Bywater ever since.
Cities, people, and purpose
What excites me most about real estate comes down to two things: people and cities. Over the past 22 years, I’ve built lifelong friendships and professional relationships across the industry. Property is a people business at its heart, and I thrive on the interaction, collaboration, and deal-making that comes with it. The other constant is my fascination with how cities evolve. London is the best example; if you don’t visit a neighbourhood for three years, it can feel completely different when you return. That energy, the social and demographic shifts, the way buildings shape experiences, all remind me why I wanted to work in this industry in the first place.
Deals with impact
What I enjoy most is putting deals together: finding the right building, aligning the right partners, and bringing a clear purpose to the project. At Bywater, that purpose is always centred around sustainability and reducing carbon in the built environment. For me, it’s about more than just returns. Of course, money is essential; you need capital to deliver meaningful change, but what excites me is connecting people, projects, and funding to create something that leaves a positive legacy. That sense of purpose gives the work real meaning, and it makes the successes far more rewarding.
Growing through challenges
The past decade has been defined by constant challenges. Brexit, COVID, Trump tariffs, Trussonomics, the shocks have come one after another. For me personally, optimism is a strength. I tend to rebound quickly and see challenges as opportunities. But leading a team requires more than optimism. When I joined Bywater, there were four people. Today we’re 24, with ambitions to keep growing. That shift has taught me how important it is to balance different perspectives and approaches. My CFO, for example, is more methodical and less emotional than I am, and that dynamic makes us stronger. Resilience comes from diversity of thought and from creating an environment where people can bring their different strengths to the table.
The Catalyst: Paradise
I’m most proud of our Paradise development, the UK’s largest mass timber office building. At 63,000 square feet, it may not be the biggest in London, but its impact has been significant. Paradise proved that low-carbon design could be delivered at scale, and it became the catalyst for bringing Sumitomo Forestry into our business as a joint venture partner. That partnership has transformed what we’re able to do. Together, we now have seven new projects in the pipeline, all focused on reducing embodied and operational carbon, with an ambition to deliver seven a year. Paradise was the spark, and it’s shaped the future direction of Bywater.
What Real Estate gets wrong (and right)
If there’s one thing the industry could do better, it’s moving away from a narrow focus on financial returns. IRR and yield are important, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of safety, sustainability, or social value. The tragedy of Grenfell was a stark reminder of the responsibility we carry as developers. The buildings we create will stand for decades, maybe centuries, and we owe it to future generations to get them right.
That said, there has been a positive change. More companies are placing culture, purpose, and social responsibility at the centre of what they do. And the next generation entering the industry wants more than just a paycheque, they want a career that makes a difference. This change is encouraging. At its best, real estate has always been about people, and if we can build on that strength, the industry’s future looks brighter.
