Industry heavyweights launch real assets segment on Aquis
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Published:
July 8, 2025
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A new liquid market for the securitisation of real assets is being launched on the Aquis Stock Exchange, London’s challenger stock market. The Aquis Real Asset Market (Aram) will provide a unique platform for the industry to raise and invest capital in real assets.
The intended debut initial public offering (“IPO”) on Aram is Scotch Corner Designer Village (“Scotch Corner”), a retail and leisure development between York and Darlington. Scotch Corner is proposing to list on Aram to part-fund Phase 1 of the development ahead of its planned opening in 2027.
Phase 1 of the development has an c£170m gross development value (“GDV”) and, once complete, will comprise c. 180,000 sq ft of retail stores, leisure outlets, cafes and restaurants. Scotch Corner has completed the initial road and infrastructure works and has been substantially pre let to a range of strong fashion brands including M&S, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein.
The development is being managed by Scotch Corner Management Co Limited and is the vision of Simon Waterfield, who is a property entrepreneur with a 30 year track record of delivering highly successful renewal and redevelopment projects around the UK.
Residential property development specialist Zentra, which de-listed from the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in December 2024 to commence trading on Aquis’ Access segment, has also announced its intention to move to the Aram segment.
Led by some of the biggest names in UK real estate investment, Aram will create a new tradable marketplace for the securitisation of all real assets and infrastructure across the capital stack and risk spectrum, including single assets (both geared and ungeared) and debt instruments. It will also provide an alternative market to the LSE and other exchanges for traditional REITs.
Aram Advisors is a newly launched specialist listing and market advisory firm, focusing on Aram. Its heavyweight management team is led by former managing director of Dow Jones Commercial EMEA and former rugby world cup winner Michael Lynagh; former Aquis Exchange CFO & COO Jonathan Clelland; Duneane Asset Management director Donall McCann; Rob Rackind, Non-Executive chair of Inhale Capital and former global head of real estate at Credit Suisse Asset Management; and Martley Capital chief executive Richard Croft.
Shareholders of Aram Advisors will include property investors Nick Leslau and Nigel Wray, Chief Executive of Enstar, Group Dominic Silvester, Martley Capital, Henley IM, Zentra Group and Acuitus.
Michael Lynagh, director at Aram Advisors, says:
“London has achieved its position as a global financial hub through innovation, but in recent years it has struggled to maintain its competitive edge. Aram is exactly what the City needs, creating a platform that democratises access to the real estate market, a market valued at £1.3 trillion in the UK alone, and enabling people to invest in opportunities typically reserved for professional investors. With a strong management team and an internationally recognised host platform, the launch of Aram represents a major step forward in UK real estate investment. By enhancing investment transparency, limiting transaction costs and leveraging Aquis’ future-proofed software, Aram will revolutionise the public real estate sector.”
Aquis is one of the UK’s two equities Recognised Investment Exchanges, with approximately €2bn in secondary market trading taking place daily on the platform. As part of the Aquis Growth Market, Aram will leverage Aquis’ robust regulatory framework, deep market connectivity and proven trading infrastructure — ensuring real asset securities are accessible and tradable across major platforms by both institutional and retail investors.
Jonathan Clelland, of Aram Advisors and a Special Advisor to Aquis Exchange, explains:
“Aram is built on the foundations of one of the UK’s most trusted and liquid market infrastructures. By operating within the Aquis Growth Market, we’re combining the benefits of a regulated, scalable exchange with the flexibility and innovation needed to support real asset investment. This creates a powerful new route to market for both issuers and investors.”
As Aram will be composed solely of real assets and companies operating within real estate, it will have greater insulation from global shocks that impact corporations on other listing platforms, in part due to the distorting effects of index tracking.
Richard Croft, director at Aram Advisors, said:
“Only 5%, around £65bn, of UK commercial real estate is listed on the market, demonstrating a large addressable market and opportunity for Aram. Securities will be tradable on all major platforms, including AJ Bell & Hargreaves Lansdown, providing liquidity and access to all potential market participants. With a strong listing pipeline, Aram will provide investors with the ability to build their own diversified portfolio without significant management costs. And as the investment market changes through fractionalisation and tokenisation, Aram is uniquely positioned to respond.”
Jason Upton, Chief Executive Officer of Zentra Group PLC, commented:
“Our intention to move to Aram marks a decisive and exciting step in Zentra’s growth journey. As a platform dedicated to real estate, Aram offers a flexible structure and market fit that aligns with how we operate today and how we plan to scale in the future. We see significant potential to broaden our investor base and deepen engagement with stakeholders through a structure that is more transparent, project-led, and tailored to the nature of our work. Crucially, this transition creates the flexibility, access, and growth potential that we wouldn’t necessarily have on alternative markets.”
