A conversation with: Bryan Dove

Bryan Dove, Non-Executive Director at RE5Q, tells us why now is an exciting time to be in the real estate sector. With a strong background in tech, Bryan explains how we’ve been seeing an increase in digital adoption across a variety of industries and how this will affect the future of real estate and, more specifically, RE5Q.

What is your role within Reech Corporations Group?

I have joined the RE5Q board as a Non-Executive Director, and I’m really excited to be bringing my technology knowledge and experience to the table. While a somewhat out of the box move for a technologist like me, the clear opportunity right now within the real estate sector, and specifically for RE5Q, that truly grabbed my attention.

We’ve seen a lot of upheaval in the past few months, including a huge change in both perception and value in the real estate market. With this as a background, it is clear that firms like RE5Q will have a mammoth role to play in the future shaping of the industry.

The RE5Q board has incredible depth in real estate knowledge, I’m hoping to bring my own experience rooted in technology and apply this to traditional real estate market dynamics.

What have been the top trends you’ve been following this year?

This year has seen acceleration in new trends and progress across the board, with Covid-19 only accelerating this further. In some areas, we’ve seen years of advancements condensed into just a few short months.

In retail, the massive jump into digital and e-commerce due to Covid-19 has been explosive, with estimates showing an 18% jump by the end of this year. This increase in digital adoption has been seen across a variety of industries and has been very exciting to witness as a tech professional.

The changes we’ve seen have also exposed some areas of weakness in certain sectors, notably within high street retail and hospitality. It will be interesting to see the economy develop post Covid-19 as investors start to spot opportunities where these weaknesses lie. It’s clear that the accelerated change we’ve seen this year will be structural rather than temporary.

What does the future look like for real estate?

The way we look at real estate, both commercial and retail property, has changed so much in the last few months. Trends such as migration out of high-density urban areas, changing usage patterns at home, and the future of the office mean wholesale change is coming to the real estate sector.

Whilst the future may not be immediately clear, there is definitely opportunity beckoning. How the industry reacts to these changes, and its ability to adapt, is vital. There is great potential here for growth and investment to match the changing physical infrastructure in the sector.

Throughout the pandemic we’ve seen the importance, resilience and potential that technology plays in business and in our day to day lives. There’s no doubt that technology now has a heightened role across all sectors – including real estate.

What’s next for RE5Q?  

This is a really exciting phase for the firm, and the level of optimism is high. It is important to secure the right partnerships in the near future and I’m really looking forward to being a part of this journey.

The company is set to bring unprecedented disruption to the sector. With the work put into developing the right technology and models, securing flagship clients and partnerships is the next step for RE5Q.

How have you been spending the Summer break?

The last few months have been a good chance for reflection. For me, family is of utmost importance and we’ve been in the process of establishing a home back in the US.

The move back to the US has meant a few transatlantic trips over the past few months at a very unique time. I’ve been so impressed with the reaction to adversity both by companies and fellow travellers.

Seeing how quickly people have adapted has been impressive and makes me optimistic about how we’ll all adapt to the new normal ahead of us.

Bryan Dove

Bryan Dove is a Non-Executive Director of RE5Q. Bryan most recently spent five years at Skyscanner as its CEO and previously as the CTO, where he was integral in leading the company through its acquisition for £1.46bn in 2016. Prior to this he held executive roles at Microsoft, Skype and Amazon.