Associated British Ports Appoints New Group Head of Property

[By: Associated British Ports]

Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s largest port operator, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rupert Joseland as its new Group Head of Property. Rupert will lead the Property team of one of the UK’s biggest commercial landowners with a portfolio of over 8,600 acres across a range of strategic locations providing unrivalled development options and multimodal logistics links. He will also directly head the Property team for ABP Southampton.

Rupert is an accomplished property development leader with over 30 years of experience in delivering large-scale industrial and logistics development, including as Managing Director at St Modwen. He has established high-performing regional teams, delivering major schemes like Swansea University Bay Campus, and creating a more than 10 million square foot logistics portfolio. He is experienced in delivering complex schemes requiring productive partnerships with private and public sector entities.

Julian Walker, Chief Commercial Officer for ABP, said: “I’m delighted that Rupert Joseland is joining ABP to take our sector-leading Property function on the next phase of its growth. Rupert brings a wealth of experience and a track record of delivering large scale property development and portfolio optimisation. Rupert's appointment also strengthens our Property activities in Southampton where we are bringing forward a number of significant development opportunities. This appointment represents an important step for us as we continue to develop and grow ABP’s property offering to the market across the UK.”

Rupert Joseland, incoming Group Head of Property for ABP and Head of Property for ABP Southampton, said: “The sector leading scope of the ABP property portfolio and the range of development opportunities is clear. What has particularly struck me from my initial conversations with ABP is their ambitious vision for developing and growing their estate. I’m excited to be joining ABP to lead the team in realising this ambition.”

Learn more about ABP Property at: https://www.abports.co.uk/property/opportunities.  Examples of recently announced developments include:

• HELM Immingham: Beginning construction of a speculative development of a 227-acre strategic location close to ABP’s key Humber ports of Immingham, the UK’s largest single port by tonnage handled, and Grimsby, with potential for 1.2 million square foot of logistics and manufacturing space, along with 90 acres of automotive open storage with on-site renewable energy generation and extensive biodiversity improvements.
• Open storage: An investment of £15 million to unlock over 40 acres of industrial open storage land across its ports in Cardiff and Newport, a major example of ABP actively investing in bespoke open storage platforms across its portfolio, offering occupiers a tailored solution in strategic port locations with multimodal connectivity. This investment will deliver secure, surfaced, and accessible sites ready for immediate occupation.
• Solent Gateway: Acquisition of Solent Gateway Ltd, the operating company holding the 35-year lease to operate the Port of Marchwood, and subsequent tens of millions of pounds of investment to boost the capability of the site as a key location for automotive operations and open storage options whilst also further strengthening the resilience of the port for its vital military role.

Rupert will take up the roles from June 1st 2026.