On this episode of The Real Rendezvous podcast Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal are joined by Ben Taylor — a true pioneer on the UK property scene and one of the first to bring the US real estate brokerage model across the Atlantic. After years of success at the top of the corporate game, Ben is now shaking up the space once again with two businesses he founded: dfine and Fortuna & Co. He doesn’t just talk about transformation — he’s lived it. From boardroom battles to building something of his own, this conversation is for anyone interested in reinventing the rules, rethinking success and doing things differently.

In this episode, we dive into:

-What the UK can learn from the US brokerage model, and why it's more than just a "sales strategy"

-The highs and hard truths of leading in corporate, and why Ben chose to walk away

-The personal moments that reshaped his outlook on business, leadership, and life

-How dfine is set to change the future of real estate in the UK, and what makes it different

We’ve spent years talking about DEI, but has it really changed anything? According to the latest guest on our International Women's Day episode Geeta Sidhu-Robb, the answer is a hard NO. Hosts Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal sit with Geeta, the trailblazing entrepreneur and founder of WCorp who's on a mission to make work places biologically and structurally compatible for women to empower them to be the best. She explains:

📉 Why DEI efforts are backfiring—and making workplaces even more divided

💰 The case for hiring more women (hint: it's all about profit, not pity)

⚖️ How companies can ditch guilt-driven policies and actually move forward

🏢 Why she built WCorp to hold companies accountable for real change

What’s it like to shape London’s property landscape for nearly 40 years?😯 Well, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal sat down with property titan Dominic Grace to get the inside scoop from the man who’s done it!

After a remarkable 37-year tenure at @Savills, where he led the London Residential Development team and worked on iconic projects including One Hyde Park, the redevelopment of BBC Television Centre, the Docklands and the Olympic Village (to name afew), Dominic embarked on a new journey in 2021 with his own advisory firm, Dominic Grace Advisory.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand the past, present and future of the property market through the eyes of the legend of who has shaped London, but to also know the man behind the work.

How does one capture the essence of luxury turning bold ideas into industry-changing campaigns that make headlines? Well, Florence shares her incredible career story, from humble beginnings in Connecticut to delivering campaigns for clients like VistaJet, Fraser Yachts and winning multiple awards, turning Quinn PR into one of the most sought-after agencies in the luxury sector.

She shares her top PR secrets that make luxury brands shine on the world stage, creating campaigns that make a lasting impact, the art of storytelling while maintaining the brand message and career defining moments. So whether you’re dreaming of getting into or elevating PR, or are curious about what it takes to work with the biggest names in luxury, this is an episode you want to add to your playlist

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome a true authority in luxury prime real estate—none other than Super Prime International Real Estate Expert, Giles Hannah!

Giles has established himself as a global expert in super-prime property, advising some of the world’s wealthiest individuals. His extensive career has taken him from London to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, collaborating with prestigious developers and branded residences, including landmark projects Red Sea Global and AMAALA for Public Investment Fund (PIF). In this conversation, Giles shares insights from his remarkable career journey. It all began at Savills’ Knightsbridge flagship office, where he was soon seconded to One Hyde Park, the Mandarin Oriental Residences project that redefined London’s luxury real estate scene.

From there, he joined the exclusive world of Christie's, gaining unparalleled exposure to the super-rich and the pinnacle of luxury living. Notably, he is known to have spearheaded the record-breaking sale of Château Louis XIV for over $300 million as reported —the highest reported real estate transaction in the world at the time.

In recent years, Giles has concentrated his expertise in the Middle East, advising sovereign wealth funds and leading developers on transformative projects across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. And the journey doesn’t stop here—2025 promises even more exciting ventures. Stay tuned!

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Charlie Walsh, Head of Residential Sales & Marketing at The Old War Office (OWO).

Charlie was introduced into the world of property through his love for movies. After a boring work experience stint at a stockbroking firm, he was later offered an opportunity at a property company. The adventure of travelling to sites, seeing developments in person kick cemented his interest in the industry. Though some experiences in his career knocked down his confidence, he was still very eager to a life in the world of property later. This passion landed him opportunities to spearhead international sales for high profile schemes including 1 Grosvenor Square, Lincoln Square, Holland Park Gate, Savills to name afew under his belt.

With an incredibly extensive background in the super prime sector, Charlie landed his dream job working with the Hinduja family to transform The Old War Office, one he calls 'the most iconic building'. Infused with a rich, cultural legacy from, being the home to King Henry VIII to the home of Britain’s Ministry of Defence in 1906, the journey of turning the former government office into a haven of luxury hospitality 120 years after doors shut to the public was one Charlie 'found amazing and one that was I hugely honoured to complete'.

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Will Castle, International Business Development Director at CBRE. Trigger warning, this episode contains discussions around suicide.

Will Castle is one of the well-known ambassadors of Movember, the leading charity changing the face of men’s health focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. He openly talks about his journey with mental health after he lost his father to suicide in 2012.

Having accidentally stumbled upon the Movember charity during the 2020 lockdown, he gradually began speaking about men's mental health and helping other people navigate their challenges. A strong believer in suicide prevention and mental health, Will does various talks, encouraging men to open about their feelings and mental struggles. Tune into this incredibly inspirational episode.

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Daniel Daggers (aka Mr Super Prime), founder of DDRE Global.

Daniel is a well-known face for many in the world of real estate. Some call him a disruptor, others may know him as a mentor or the star on Netflix's Buying London (the UK’s answer to Selling Sunset). A broken collar bone (following a football injury) and a failed surveying course led Daniel into the world of the estate agency, where he discovered he had a knack for selling property from the age of 17. After a 12-year stint at Knight Frank, he set off to create his own company, DDRE Global in 2020.

A true disruptor, Daniel created the company with a vision of revolutionising traditional real estate, using social media to build an online audience to sell luxury property to high value clients. The content agency encourages agents to act as influencers, connecting directly to their customers. He also stars in Netflix's 'Buying London' which follows Daniel and his team as they promote some of the most expensive homes in London as well as behind-the-scenes look at the high-end homes looking for super wealthy buyers.

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Russell Quirk, property expert and the co-founder of Proper PR to the podcast!

Russell is a property expert with regular appearances on the BBC, LBC, Talk TV and GB News and extensive experience in both the traditional and online estate agency sectors. With over 25 years experience within the residential property sector, he is known for his candid and often controversial commentary on the property, government policy and the wider industry. With a regime change and a new Labour government, we couldn't wait to hear his views on the impact on the property industry, his career and future market trends.

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Tina Necrason, Executive Vice President of Residential at Montage International to the podcast!

With over 20 years in the luxury real estate and branded residency sector, Tina is recognised as a global leader with her expertise in extending luxury hotel brands into lifestyles across new and emerging markets. Her career started in the marketing and branding teams at the luxurious brands including Marriott, Ritz Carlton, Viceroy and Tides brands, Raffles and FourSeasons.

Tina then joined Montage International, the ultra luxury management and hospitality global company and gives us a glimpse of what it's like to work on projects in the branded resi sector. It was an incredibly fascinating story.

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Claire Reynolds, Managing Partner of United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty to the podcast!

Claire was introduced into the world of property through her father's interest in renovating derelict houses. From a young age, she was immersed into the world of making beautiful homes, a passion that would lead her to a highly successful 18 year career at Savills. She stepped out of the comfort zone after being headhunted to her current role, tasked with spearheading London’s super-prime market at UK Sotheby’s International Realty, a fun but rather terrifying feat. On the episode, the trio also discuss the importance of embracing video across social media marketing for the luxury property brand, a move that has accumulated positive outcomes for the company and their clients.

Claire also talks openly about her divorce, an experience she says allowed her to 'learn more about myself through that whole journey.' Despite some challenges (and long hours) along the way, this once-upon-a-time shy girl has become one of the highly respected people in the industry.

On this episode,Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome James Price: Vice President of Residential at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts to the podcast! James' career started in the golfing industry, pivoting to the stock market before landing his feet into the property industry at Knight Frank. Falling in love with property, his career in branded residences would expose him to the incredible beauty of the international property market. Operating over 53 branded residences properties (and another 30 on the way) globally, James gives us the insight into how branded resi has changed over the years and what it's like to work at the very top tier of international development at the renowned Four Seasons.

On this International Women's Day special, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Nicola Green (workplace menopause expert). The final installment in our IWD episodes addresses menopause, one of the most unspoken matters that affects women's performance at work.

How does menopause affect women in the workplace you ask? Unbeknowst to many, the symptoms of menopause are far beyond just the infamous hot flushes. The symptoms can be debilitating, affecting work performance and even forcing thousands of women to leave their jobs. Simple things like making small decisions and controlling emotions become incredibly hard, making these women develop anxiety and become more prone to depression in the long run. While menopause is a personal issue, employers have a very positive role to play and to actively support their female staff, there has to be education and taking the fear out of these conversations which Nicola does on this special.

On this International Women's Day special, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Damian Wild (Managing Director at ING Media), Mark Robinson OBE (High Performance Coach & former professional cricketeer) and Stephen Miles (Executive Coach). The conversation delved into the uncharted territory of men's perspectives on gender equality, allyship and feminism so you can expect it to be a good debate and one that challenges conventional perspectives. The result was an honest conversation, serving as a reminder of the importance of men playing their part in elevating their female counterparts in the workplace, using tangible actions.

On this International Women's Day special,Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Elizabeth Kelly (Senior Project & Procurement Manager at Angel O’Donnell), Holly Friend (Futurist, Writer & Cultural Strategist) and Korinna Williams (CEO of Shadow To Shine). This is the first episode in a series of 3 explosive episodes, focusing on the next generation of women, GEN Z/GEN Alpha and youth culture today.

On this episode Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Liz Peace CBE, Adviser on Property, Politics and the Built Environment. A true advocate for social housing, women's rights, sustainability, increased social responsibility and more diversity within the property industry, Liz is the epitome of an inspirational culture change maker.

On this episode Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Adam White, the pioneer of the London brunch revolution and founder of Riding House Cafes. If you're a brunch lover then you definitely don't want to find out the story behind this popular dining phenomena in London.

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Daniel Von Barloewen, Regional Vice President of Accor One Living and Head of Mixed-use (EMEA) at Accor the largest hospitality company in Europe and second largest branded residences operator in the world.

⚠️Did you know that 22nd November 2023 marks the day when based on average earnings, women start working for free until the end of the year?! Shocking isn't it?
DEI Expert Harriet Waley-Cohen joins Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal on this explosive episode to discuss the cultural/societal systems that affect gender equity, equal pay and women in the workplace!

On this episode, Caroline Donaghue and Priya Rawal welcome Emma Cariaga, a powerhouse woman of the UK property industry and Head of Residential at British Land and Joint Head of the £5.6 billion Canada Water master plan project.