The People Behind our Places: Declan Roye

As part of our Life at Landsec series, we’re spotlighting the people behind our places, sharing honest perspectives on career pathways, working in real estate and what it’s really like to build a future with us. Declan Roye, AI and Innovation Delivery Lead, is one of those people.

Declan joined Landsec in 2024 through Landsec Futures, our programme designed to support people from underrepresented socio-economic backgrounds into long-term employment. Just over two years later, he is helping shape how we adopt emerging technologies across the business. Declan’s journey from intern to a permanent member of the Landsec team reflects the power of curiosity, and the role businesses in the real estate sector can play in helping people realise their potential.

Starting a career in real estate

Studying Computer Engineering at university, Declan was fascinated by technology and the ways it could be applied to industries that are often viewed through a completely different lens. Alongside his studies, he worked on a project with his father, a quantity surveyor, developing a tool designed to identify potential development opportunities by combining property data with financial modelling.

It was an experience that sparked a growing interest in the built environment. Although real estate had always been present in the background through family connections, he was more interested in the possibilities and evolution of real estate through technology and innovation.

“I knew tech was my forte,” he explains. “Real estate felt like an important place to apply those skills.”

As graduation approached, Declan began exploring opportunities that would let him better understand the sector. The more conversations he had, the more he realised there was still a lot to learn about an industry that touches almost every aspect of daily life: from the places we work and live in, to the wider communities around them.

Researching some of the UK’s largest property companies led Declan to Landsec Futures."Sometimes things just align perfectly,” he says. “I wasn’t going to apply anywhere else. When I found Landsec Futures, I thought, ‘this is perfect’.”

The internship role sat within Technology Support. But for Declan the attraction was not about a job title, but about gaining experience, understanding the industry, and putting himself in an environment where he could learn.

“It doesn’t matter what the role is at that stage,” he says. “Just get your foot through the door.”

Working across the entire business meant solving challenges for colleagues from different teams and building relationships with people he may never otherwise have met. It also gave him a front-row seat to the breadth of expertise that exists across Landsec.

Innovation through collaboration

Declan’s journey has been shaped as much by exposure to different parts of the business, as it has by technical knowledge.

Throughout his internship, he continued sharing ideas, exploring emerging technologies, and looking for opportunities to get involved in projects beyond his immediate role. That curiosity led to working on the integration of MediaCity, one of Landsec’s most significant recent investments in the North West, and home to the UK’s biggest media brands and most exciting independents.

Working alongside colleagues in Manchester and its Leadership team gave Declan access to unique experiences that many people early in their careers wouldn’t find available. From strategic discussions to large-scale change programmes, it offered a deeper understanding of how decisions are made and how major projects are delivered.

"It was incredible,” Declan says. “You learn things that just can’t be taught in a classroom.”

This combination of curiosity, ambition, and mentorship progressed Declan to his current role of AI and Innovation Delivery Lead. Declan now drives forward Landsec’s AI adoption journey, working across strategy, governance, capability building, and emerging technologies.

A key part of Declan's role is identifying innovative proptech solutions across Data and Technology projects - including innovations like our recent Smart Buildings rollout. This smart technology plays a pivotal role in curating best-in-class workplaces that're increasingly connected, responsive, sustainable, and focused on enhancing the experience for our customers.

“There’s a collaborative environment at Landsec that encourages both entrepreneurship - and intrapreneurship”, Declan says. “If you're hungry, you can take it. The opportunities are there, and you have that rounded support on hand to help you make it a reality.”

As part of Declan's development, Landsec is also supporting him through an Applied AI Engineering Apprenticeship at Imperial College London, where he's learning to design and produce real-world AI systems that can help deliver measurable business value.

Creating opportunities for people and places

“It was the first interview I had where I really felt I connected with the people I was speaking to”, Declan says. “Everyone's so open to meeting you.”

Declan is keen to highlight the importance of collaboration, mentorship, and the willingness of others to invest time in helping him succeed. Whether through the early days of his Landsec Futures internship, secondment at MediaCity, or in his current role as Innovation and AI Delivery Lead at our Landsec Headquarters in Victoria.

“You can’t do this on your own,” he says. “The best outcomes are when people work together.” In other words, ‘we did is better than I did’, which is a core part of the cultural DNA at Landsec.

Through Landsec Futures, we’ve committed to supporting at least 30,000 people from underrepresented socio-economic backgrounds towards long-term employment by 2030. And since 2019, we’ve delivered £147m of social value, and supported more than 19,000 people across the UK into employment.  At a time when youth unemployment is rising and many young people remain disconnected from education, employment or training, creating meaningful pathways, opportunities, and improving access into work has never been more important.

“Landsec really does create that safe environment to nurture the talent that's coming in”, Declan says. “It's like doing the best MBA course you could ever ask for, because you can tap into so many different worlds of knowledge.”