As an openly gay FTSE 350 CEO, Brian has ensured that all staff complete diversity awareness workshops, and the firm’s public policies actively support all aspects of diversity. He is also now ensuring that diversity is a key criteria throughout their supply chain, as some 300 external advisors and consultants support the internal team. Shaftesbury are also supporters of the RICS Quality Mark employers charter and Real Estate Balance, both of which are focused on broadening and supporting all aspects of diversity in the real estate sector. Externally, Brian has been a board member of Freehold, the London-based LGBT+ real estate professionals group, for six years. In that capacity, he supported the establishment of a similar group in Birmingham, and spoke one of their networking meetings. He is a regular panelist and speaker at industry events on the topic of LGBT+ inclusion, and is an active Stonewall Ambassador. Under Brian’s leadership, Shaftesbury was a major corporate supporter of Pride in London, providing Pride with free office space and their first-ever shop in Soho and encouraging over 50 shops and restaurants across Soho and Covent Garden to become involved in the festival.
