#139 Kevin Mofid, Head of Industrial & Logistics Research at Savills

Aug 21, 2025

Kevin Mofid, Head of Industrial & Logistics Research at Savills, brings a wealth of knowledge on the UK and European logistics markets. He delves into the evolving role of research in real estate, emphasizing its importance as a strategic tool. Kevin discusses the pressures on build-to-suit deals and rising vacancies despite strong demand. He highlights trends in nearshoring, speculative development, and the growing secondhand stock, ultimately providing insights on the future of industrial demand and the impact of online retail on logistics.

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INSIGHT

Rising Vacancy Masks Asset Quality Differences

Vacancy is rising despite solid take-up because speculative completions and secondhand supply are flooding the market.
Detailed, granular data on grade, height and EPC is essential to know which assets are truly fit for modern occupiers.

INSIGHT

Europe Lags UK In Data Speed And Granularity

European data is less granular and slower than the UK's, delaying clarity on trends like tariff impacts until months after the quarter ends.
That lag forces reliance on anecdote and sentiment until hard metrics arrive mid-late Q4.

INSIGHT

Much Secondhand Stock Is Unfit For Purpose

Secondhand supply has surged to multi-year highs, but roughly a third is unfit for modern occupiers due to height, EPC and location limits.
Treat secondhand supply as heterogeneous; headline volume hides material usability differences.

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Kevin Mofid, Head of Industrial & Logistics Research at Savills, joins me on the People Property Place Podcast 🎙️ this week.

We discuss his journey into real estate, the evolution of research in the sector, and key insights into the UK and European logistics markets.

Kevin shares his data-driven view of market trends, rental growth dynamics, build-to-suit versus existing stock, and the increasing importance of supply-side fundamentals when making investment decisions.

If you're active in the industrial or logistics real estate market across the UK & Europe, and you're interested in data-driven decision-making, or the forces shaping demand and supply in the sector, this episode is for you.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

· Kevin's unconventional path into real estate, and his pivotal early career moves

· The evolution of research from a back-office function to a front-line, strategic, in demand tool

· What the UK logistics data is really showing, and why build-to-suit deals are under pressure

· Rising vacancy in a market with strong demand, and what that disconnect tells us

· Speculative development trends, and how they're shaping short-term supply risks

· Why second-hand stock is growing fast, and how much of it is actually usable

· The real drivers of industrial demand, and why retail still dominates

· Nearshoring, reshoring, and how they are reshaping long-term European strategy

· Rental growth that's defying historic vacancy relationships, and why

· The evolving role of AI in warehousing and supply chain decision-making

· Why smart investors are prioritising supply-side data over demand forecasts

· Kevin's take on the biggest risk facing the sector today, and the data point he's watching most closely

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