ARL appoints Andrew Teacher as Special Advisor

After working at IPD, he set up Blackstock Consulting, advising many institutional investors including M&G Real Estate, Evergreen, Grainger, LaSalle, Legal & General, Apache Capital, TDR Capital and Hermes, working closely with development and operational teams to build sector-leading brands such as Essential Living, Moda Living and Nido from the ground up. 

After selling Blackstock in 2022, Teacher went client-side, working with the John Lewis Partnership for three years to help develop its operational platform, support the BTR team and the securing of three planning consents. 

Teacher's new business, Lauder Teacher, founded with former Goodbody investment banker Colm Lauder, combines strategic communications with investor relations and business development support, working across Europe with a host of leading institutions. 

A vocal advocate for the sector and a regular talking head on TV and radio, Teacher has hosted a popular podcast since 2018 and regularly writes columns for the trade media and national papers. 

He will advise the ARL and its membership on strengthening the sector's engagement with policymakers and structuring regulation in the right way, while also offering advice on investor relations and other reputational issues faced by the sector.

Andrew is also an executive committee member for the Urban Land Institute. 

Brendan Geraghty, chief executive at the Association for Rental Living, said: "Andrew Teacher has been one of the most vocal ambassadors for the living sector for more than two decades, and there are few people he has not successfully worked for in one capacity or another. His broad and technical experience across planning, regulation, policy, communications and investor relations is more critical than ever, and being able to take a 360-degree view on the market, as he does, will add significant value to the support ARL already provides to the sector. We very much look forward to having him on board." 

Andrew Teacher, co-founder at Lauder Teacher and Special Advisor to the ARL, said: "Now, more than ever, it's vital that the sector can speak with a united voice and ensure it's at the table to influence how policymakers and investors shape it. I've learned a lot over the years working with many amazing people, and having had the privilege of advising global institutions, often at the early stage of their businesses, has given me a huge depth of insights which I'm happy to share. Giving back to the sector is an important part of how we still do business, so I'm delighted to be able to support the market in this role with the ARL." 

After being set up in December 2024, Lauder Teacher announced its own heavyweight advisory board, including former Apollo chair Roger Orf, former BNP Paribas boss Andy Martin, former Metropolitan Thames Valley CEO Geeta Nanda, former BPF CEO Liz Peace, former TTA founder Trisha Topping, and Donal McCabe, the late Queen's former press secretary.