Commercially Minded cover art

Commercially Minded

Commercially Minded

Written by: Will Matthews Knight Frank
Listen for free

About this listen

Will Matthews, Knight Frank’s Head of Commercial Insight, is joined by Knight Frank researchers and experts to unpick the latest commercial property data, sharing the judgement calls, context and market insights that don’t always make it onto paper. If you need clarity on commercial real estate trends but don’t have time for the 40 page report, or if you’re just curious about change in the commercial real estate sector, then Commercially Minded is for you. Hear what’s really driving the market and leave each episode with practical takeaways: what to know, what to watch, and what to do next.Will Matthews, Knight Frank Economics
Episodes
  • Reading the signals of science and innovation demand in real estate
    Apr 24 2026

    The innovation sector is widely seen as one of the UK's biggest economic opportunities, and the signals are hard to ignore: OpenAI is establishing a permanent presence in London, US AI companies are expanding their European footprint in the capital, and innovation clusters are emerging across UK cities well beyond the Golden Triangle. But is the real estate industry reading those signals correctly?


    In this episode, Will Matthews is joined by Jennifer Townsend, a partner in Knight Frank's Occupier Insight team, to explore what the real estate industry often gets wrong about measuring innovation demand, and what better metrics look like in practice. From funding as a leading indicator of space requirements, to AI clusters building momentum in cities like Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester, the discussion examines how to understand where demand is heading, not just where it has been.

    For more insights like this, subscribe to ⁠⁠Will's newsletter⁠⁠ for his weekly take on commercial real estate markets.

    Produced by ⁠⁠Rethink Audio⁠⁠.

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • Keep calm and carry on: London's lessons for surviving real estate cycles
    Mar 27 2026

    What does London’s past reveal about its future? Shabab Qadar, Head of London Offices Insight, joins Will to unpack London’s evolution through deregulation, financial crises, political change and the pandemic.

    They explore how 2020 accelerated the shift towards higher‑quality space, why the “return to office” debate is now outdated, and how AI, supply constraints and long‑term capital are shaping the next cycle.

    If you want a clear, focused view on London’s future, and the implications for occupiers, investors and planners, this episode has it.

    Hosted by Will Matthews, Knight Frank’s Head of Commercial Insight. For more insights like this, subscribe to ⁠Will's newsletter⁠ for his weekly take on commercial real estate markets.

    Produced by ⁠Rethink Audio⁠.

    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • From ethics to earnings: is ESG for real estate just risk and reward?
    Feb 27 2026

    To unpack how ESG is evolving into a conversation about risk, resilience and returns, Flora Harley, Head of Knight Frank’s Energy & Sustainability Research joins us on this week's episode.We explore why ESG is increasingly being reframed as operational performance, how occupiers and investors are prioritising energy efficiency, cost certainty and liquidity, and where sustainability initiatives genuinely protect long‑term value. From electrification and energy‑use intensity to lending, insurance and the emerging “brown discount”, this episode cuts through the jargon to focus on what really matters.If you want a clear, practical take on ESG, without the buzzwords, this one’s for you.Hosted by Will Matthews, Knight Frank’s Head of Commercial Insight.



    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
No reviews yet