Our Company
Portunus Associates was co-founded by its two directors in 2021 – we saw a gap in the healthcare real estate market for a bespoke agent that can act as a bridge between the care operators and the real estate market, both developers and investors to foster a better understanding of each others’ requirements, and to find collaborative solutions that can deliver greater value over multiple transactions.
We bring experience from both the for profit and not for profit sectors, valuable in a sector with a mix of ownerships.
Our Vision
An innovative and sustainable elderly care property market that delivers quality and choice to better meet the needs of the UK’s growing older population.
Our Mission: Unlocking value….
for our clients (developers, investors and care operators) to achieve their business objectives.
Contributing to an innovative and sustainable market in social care property unlocks values:
For elderly people. Improving supply, quality and choice in the market to meet their changing needs and to benefit their well being.
For the wider population. We’re all stakeholders as taxpayers, families, employees…
Our results are built on three pillars:
Insight
Ingenuity
Integrity
Our Team
Portunus Associates was co-founded by its two directors. Combined experience from past senior roles:
- Healthcare real estate agency, property development, finance and corporate management
- Entrepreneurial track record in business development
- Extensive network of contacts across the healthcare development process (investors, developers, care operators, professional advisors)
- In the profit and not for profit sectors
Bernard has over 25 years experience in commercial agency, including over 15 years specialising in the healthcare sector.
He has a strong track record in business development. As Head of Healthcare Development for a leading specialist sector agent, he built the care development team, delivering development transactions for around 1,200 new to market care home beds per annum.
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Qualifying as a chartered surveyor at Daniel Smith (now merged with Cluttons), Bernard has a good technical and professional grounding. He moved into direct development, working on a range of urban commercial and residential developments before focusing on healthcare development agency. This unique blend of experience drives Bernard’s pragmatic, “can do” approach to the market, seeking out new opportunities for clients.
Bernard is well connected with parties involved across the development process – developers, national and regional care operators, investors and professionals.
Bernard delivers results with creativity and persistence, as recognised by awards from his last employer, including Corporate Agent of the Year (2019). Co-founding Portunus Associates in 2021, Bernard offers a bespoke focused service to clients, drawing on his deep market knowledge.
Away from work, Bernard enjoys country life – early morning dog walks in the Hampshire countryside, cycling, hiking and most recently paddle boarding. He’s kept on his toes by his three sporty teenagers.
Professional qualifications: BSc (Hons), MRICS
Fluent French speaker
Co-founder of Portunus Associates, Ros’ varied experience in the not for profit, healthcare, property and social finance sectors is valuable as ESG and sustainable investing become increasingly relevant in the healthcare sector. Ros leads on market insight, building the data infrastructure that underpins the agency services, marketing and day to day operations.
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After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in Modern History, Ros trained as a Chartered Accountant in industry with the multinational company, Trafalgar House before building a career in the not-for-profit sector over 25 years. She acted as Director of Corporate Services, specialising in building the infrastructure and strategic planning functions of several charities that were young and growing, and troubleshooting related challenges.
After starting a family, Ros took on specialist consultancy and project management roles. She was Tax Consultant to Macmillan Cancer Support, one of the UK’s largest charities, securing significant tax savings and efficiencies. Most recently, Ros managed the £60 million Responsible Finance Economic Growth Co-Investment Fund.
She has done direct property development, managing a number of urban residential and C2 developments successfully through the planning process.
Outside work, Ros is a keen traveller and enjoys planning family road trips to new destinations each year although she has had to stay closer to home recently.
Professional qualifications: MA (Oxon), FCA
Where does the name Portunus come from?
The ancient Roman God, Portunus, often depicted with a key in his hand, was associated with safe harbours and ports. His temple, which still stands today, protected the major Roman port of Ostia on the river Tiber. The related words, “Opportunity” and “Opportune” come from the Latin “ob portus”, “coming into port”, referencing the favourable conditions and good timing that bring ships to safe harbour.
The name encapsulates the essence of our company’s mission.
Unlocking value for our clients [developers, investors, care operators] to achieve their business objectives.
- We help clients to navigate the healthcare market.
- Using our market insight and networks to generate opportunities, often off market.
- Working closely with clients to achieve their expansion or repositioning plans.
