Behind the Wentworth Building

How does a real estate private equity deal actually come together?

In the first episode of Behind the Building, hosts Samarah Issa and Isaac Tymms step behind the doors of Wentworth, a real estate private equity firm. They follow a deal through four teams, from raising capital and sourcing investments to managing assets and private credit, to see how each team plays its part and what students need to know to build a career in each area.

Private Capital with Hannah
Hannah, Head of Private Capital, takes us inside a fundraising day: time in front of clients and investors, backed by the team handling due diligence behind the scenes. She explains that what investors care about most is trust, alignment and transparency, summed up in a Wentworth saying: do what you say you’re going to do. She also explains why capital, deals and execution are equally important links in the same chain.

Investments with Dom
Dom shares how Wentworth sources most of its deals off market, drawing on relationships with investment bankers, insolvency practitioners and others active in the market. When a deal lands on his desk, the key question is simple: why is this mispriced, and where does Wentworth have an edge? He also shares the Excel shortcut he can’t live without.

Asset Management with Clare and Jess
Clare explains Wentworth’s focus on adaptive reuse. That means acquiring assets with good bones in strategic locations and breathing new life into older product through cosmetic, compliance or reconfiguration works. It can also extend to rezoning, development applications and, in some cases, full ground-up development. Jess, who looks after the life sciences and industrial sectors, shares what she finds most interesting about asset management: working with different customers, understanding their needs, and delivering specialised fitouts that support their business plans.

Private Credit with Ben
Ben, Managing Director of Real Estate Private Credit, explains private credit the way he would to a first-year student: non-bank lending, where a borrower comes to an investment fund instead of a bank. He also explains why it has become such a hot topic, offering investors downside protection, lower volatility than real estate equity, and higher returns than typical fixed income.

From raising capital to sourcing investments, managing assets and structuring credit, this is Behind the Wentworth Building.