Leo Noé
Business Career:
Leo Noé is Executive Chairman and Founder of the Noé Group, having latterly been Non-Executive Chairman of BMO Real Estate Partners. He joined the Board of BMO REP on completion of the F&C/REIT merger in September 2008, having previously been founder and Chairman of REIT Asset Management where he was responsible for overall strategy and client liaison. In March 2017, Noé and Ivor Smith sold their aggregate 30% interest in BMO REP to F&C Asset Management plc (part of BMO Global Asset Management and an existing 70% Partner).
In August 2017, the UK Value Add assets that include contracts for the management of Noé family trust assets returned to Leo Noé and his family.
With over three decades of experience in the property industry Leo’s involvements are extensive. He established Lee Baron Commercial Limited, a firm of property consultants with a wide range of clients, where he still holds the position of non-executive director, and was chief executive of Bourne End Properties PLC between 1989 and 1997, a listed property investment company where his family trusts were the main shareholders.
Philanthropy:
Primarily through the Rachel Charitable Trust, Leo Noé is a noted philanthropist and benefactor to various charities in the UK and Israel and is a trustee and patron to a number of leading education and welfare institutions. Leo was a member of the Holocaust Commission, the Commission on Jewish Schools and Chairman of the SSIG. He is an active participant in education strategy and planning projects, with a particular and keen interest in Special Needs Education in both the UK and Israel. Leo was instrumental in securing SEN as a specialism under the schools funding programme and has committed his time and energy to SEN within the Jewish Community and to over 50 SEN schools outside of the Jewish Community. Leo is ranked 38th in the Sunday Times Giving List 2018, listing the top individual charitable contributors in the UK. Click here for more details. As Vice-President and Treasurer of the Jewish Leadership Council, he was the driving force behind individual donations to the organisation rising 8-fold between 2015 and 2016.
One of Leo’s foremost achievements for the State of Israel has been to establish The Kemach Foundation in 2007, which is now the largest agency for education and employment, integrating the Ultra-Orthodox sector into the workforce. In response to poor economic forecasts due to the lack of participation of the ‘Haredim’, Leo spearheaded the initiative throughout all of Israel to inspire a self-sustaining community, strengthening Israel’s future economic security and promoting Jewish life based on dignified employment. To date, more than 29,000 ‘Haredi’ men and women have been supported by the Foundation, and the impact has reached over 300,000 family members, all contributing to Israel’s economy and promoting social tolerance in society. In February 2018, Leo was given a lifetime achievement award by the UK Israel Business organisation for his substantial contribution to improving bilateral relations between the two countries.
Leo’s philanthropic approach is based on education, training and collaboration, aiming to create employment opportunities, encourage tolerance and build sustainable communities.
See more at The Noé Group official site.
