Lawyer-founded property development firm Zunikh launches UK wide with 50% of gross profits to be donated to charity

The business also plans to donate 50 per cent of its gross profit to charitable causes, and hopes to improve the communities it works in through “commercially-savvy philanthropy”.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, founder and CEO, Shakeel Adli, said:“Real estate is, in our view, one of the best ways that you can do good in communities and help people, but at the same time you can operate a profitable enterprise.

“You don't have to have a company which is unable to be commercially profitable- it can be profitable and at the same time do a lot of good.”

Zunikh currently has 150 homes in development across 14 residential schemes in locations including London and the Home Counties, and is actively seeking to increase its portfolio across the rest of the UK including the major regional cities and surrounding areas of Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Glasgow.

Originally founded in 2019, the firm is run by a team of ex-finance lawyers who previously worked at international law firm CMS.

Both former associate solicitors at CMS, Lily Martin takes the role of chief operating officer, and Sean Gough has been appointed as chief commercial officer.

Ms Martin and Mr Gough both recently joined the firm as part of its rapid plans for expansion.

Speaking of the firm's expansion outward from London, Mr Gough said:“We’re looking to replicate the model we have already in place in London and the Home Counties, nationwide. In particular by building a really good team around us of professionals that give us great insight into what they do, whether it be architects, contractors, planners, local authorities or anyone else that we interact with.

“We’re particularly focused on meeting local authorities to discuss what sort of input or involvement Zunikh can have to help them regenerate and use property as a means for delivering good.”

The firm also has plans for further expansion, and is set to begin looking for both a chief financial officer and chief technical officer in the near future.

Zunikh plans to grow its team to around 10 people by the end of 2023, with a further eight people joining by the end of 2024.

The business had previously taken the active decision to keep its leadership team small.

Ms Martin said: “The senior team is just us at the minute - and that's something that we’re pretty proud of in terms of retaining a lean team and keeping it that way.

“We want to be nimble and we want to be agile, we want it such that the decision makers are at the table - that's something that we’ve purposefully done.”

In order to give money to charity, Zunikh has plans to launch a foundation later this year.

Mr Adli said: “We want entire communities to be improved and we want to work hand in glove with all stakeholders to ensure that what we’re providing is best in class in that class - but also achieves what local communities require.”