E24 Roland Bull: Growing the Natural Capital Asset Class

Roland is a Partner at Bidwells and Head of Rural Business. Roland brings a wealth of expertise in managing institutionally owned land and property, overseeing a remarkable portfolio of assets valued at £1.5 billion. His work involves collaborating with iconic institutions, navigating the complexities of land management and its associated facets.Roland's academic journey began with the study of ecology as an undergraduate, setting the foundation for a lifelong passion for environmental conservation. With over 15 years of experience, he has played a pivotal role in orchestrating large-scale contractual and financial structures for habitat restoration projects, making a significant impact in the environmental sector. Notably, Roland completed the first biodiversity offset in the Essex pilot 10 years ago, and more recently this has become a larger focus in his work.In this episode Roland shares the chapters of his life, from his childhood studying biology and ecology and having a passion for the environment, to working as a land agent for a large portfolio. He discusses the pivotal shift in focus to Natural Capital and his work with Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).