Property veteran Neil Varnham is leaving Henderson Global Investors

Varnham, who has been at the company for 33 years, will leave in April.

He was head of business development and retail in the UK and Europe and launched several funds such as Henderson’s UK shopping centre fund, its European outlet fund, its out-of-town retail fund and, most recently, its UK outlet fund, which was seeded with last year’s biggest retail purchase in the UK – the £365m McArthurGlen outlet portfolio.

Varnham, 51, aims to pursue a role in retail asset management and fund creation and is also looking at opportunities in a non-executive capacity.

Varnham said: ‘I have the experience and skills from previous recessions and believe there will be a number of failures. There will become a new world order within property that will throw up opportunity for someone with the experience that I have.’

He will remain vice-president of retail body BCSC this year and will be its president in 2010.

Article from : Property Week, 15.01.2009