Our Origin
Reef :
[ The rainforests of the sea ] Origin:
[ The point or place where something begins ] Returning to the core principles upon which Reef was founded and building on our successful trading record since 2001 Reef founder Piers Slater is joined by an experienced and multi-disciplinary senior management team.
The next chapter, Reef Origin, brings services and platforms to meet our partners requirements in a rapidly changing economy driven by the accelerating pace of technological advances and digital transformation.
Reef Origin’s co-founders and Managing Directors, Will Rohleder (Real Estate & Knowledge), Jason Russell (Design & Construction), Eleanor Alexander (Design, Creative & Digital Infrastructure) and Ed Slater (Group Finance) combine a successful track record and experience with innovation.
August 2017
Trading name Reef Group is adopted
August 2020
Digital Reef founded to focus on digital infrastructure
April 2024
Reef Estates founded by Piers Slater
November 2001
Urban Reef (UrbanR) in house design and construction division launched
March 2004
Reef Global launched to formalise investments in the data, digital and knowledge economy
January 2014
A Place Apart, a hotel and hospitality platform, launched with an aparthotel The Gate in London.
February 2020
UBS and Reef announce joint venture for Life Science platform in UK ‘Golden Triangle’ with value in excess of GBP 2.5 billion
https://www.ubs.com/global/en/assetmanagement/about/news/2022-news-articles/life-science-strategy.html
October 2022
Reef and UBS announce the launch of a £2.5Bn Life Science Platform led by Piers Slater (CEO) and Will Rohleder (Director).
January 2023
Piers Slater takes back control of Reef Estates Ltd the company he founded in 2001 buying back shares that he had first granted in 2012, taking new offices and retaining his team of employees and embarks on the continued growth of Reef with Ed Slater remaining as Finance Director and Will Rohleder promoted to Partner.
October 2023
Digital Reef’s data centre ambitions are formalised as Reef’s Eleanor Alexander is promoted to Partner.
December 2023
Jason Russell who has worked with Piers Slater since 2006 is promoted to Partner leading and focusing on Construction and Infrastructure at Reef Origin.
Reef Global Impact Fund launched
at COP 28 to position Reef as
a leading ESG funder
February 2024
Reef Estates trading name as Reef Origin is formally launched reflecting the specialist platform capabilities in real estate, life science/knowledge, hospitality and living, digital and energy infrastructure and technology.
June 2024
January 2026 from the World Economic Forum Davos, Reef Origin partner Xange.com(where Piers Slater is a Board Director and investor) announces landmark partnership with Abu Dhabi based Aleria and Tawasal with plans to accelerate sustainable finance of the ITMO’s market with $100Bn of assets identified to support developing and developed nations economies.
January 2026