12. Dominic Glanz: From Stratford to the Greenwich Peninsula

Dominic Glanz started out as a number cruncher on Sainsbury's graduate scheme. His final placement was in the financial appraisal team, assessing new stores and extensions. After having to reapply for his job for the third time during the supermarket wars, he joined an ambitious Australian developer with big plans for the UK: Westfield. He spent 15 years there, moving from finance into development by asking for more and always putting his hand up. He helped get the £1.5 billion Stratford scheme open ahead of the 2012 Olympics and led a challenging CPO around the Whitgift Centre in Croydon. He then came full circle, back to Stratford to work on the build-to-rent scheme now known as Coppermaker Square. Five years ago, his old boss brought him to Knight Dragon, custodians of the 17,500-home Greenwich Peninsula masterplan. Now Chief Development Officer, Dom has kept the scheme moving through a brutal residential market, with 430 homes completed last year, 300 on site and a first Gateway Two application just submitted. Dom also covers: •⁠ ⁠Why there's no one-size-fits-all approach to stakeholders, and why you always need a plan B, C and D •⁠ ⁠The three things he thinks would unlock housing, and why stamp duty reform tops the list •⁠ ⁠Why he thinks people should stop hiding behind emails and pick up the phone •⁠ ⁠His regret about staying at Westfield a couple of years too long, and why it's never too late to switch careers •⁠ ⁠Why he still believes in London residential