In the latest of our series of interviews with key industry figures, The Intermediary speaks to David Kempster, marketing director at Groundsure, about his career, the climate, and what the environmental analytics firm can do for client care
First of all, tell us a little bit about your background and role?
I am the marketing director of Groundsure, the environmental analytics business.
At the end of the ‘80s, I started my career in the sales operations of the RAC, quickly finding myself on local radio and TV talking about preparing your car for winter or driving abroad.
I switched into product marketing for their travel services and then into key account sales management in the corporate fleet and leasing market.
It was a whirlwind ten years, with some brilliant teams that gave me the very best foundation in my career through my 20s.
Via a diversion into a new thing called the internet providing domain and webspace, I moved into environmental risk for property transactions.
I have always been a geographer by trade, a map geek at heart and secretly thought I could also have been a lawyer or barrister in another life, but the property search data market is actually a really good blend of all of this.
Following some innovative marketing campaigns to drive conveyancer engagement, I was headhunted into Searchflow as marketing director, ultimately heading up the sales function too across the group’s UK and Ireland businesses.
Recognising an opportunity to build my own marketing consultancy for environmental content and geospatial data businesses I set up Clear Edge Communications, and completed a diverse portfolio of projects, launching a variety of brands and products that are now thriving, as well as lengthy spells as marketing and business development support for a number of law firms.
I had known the team at Groundsure for many years (they were a client of mine, too) and, after a decade of working for myself, the timing felt right to channel my focus into some exciting opportunities with them.
As Marketing Director, I am responsible for developing and executing the strategy for the brand, communications and engagement with the conveyancing, lending and environmental consultancy markets.
And what about your role at Groundsure — can you tell us more about what an environmental analytics business does?
We take large and complex environmental and climate data and turn it into clear and effective guidance for our clients.
We show property professionals the story behind a property or site — information on risks including land contamination, flooding and ground stability. We also look ahead and through our unique modelling, provide guidance on potential climate risks that the property could face in the future.
This analysis enables our clients to make a judgement on any potential impacts on the transaction — such as the ability to get full insurance cover and the knock-on impact to lending, or if there may be something that could affect the long term value of the investment.
What are you doing with lenders?
We have been working with three of the top five commercial lenders for many years, providing them with asset security information about flood risk and potential land contamination on high value land and property transactions.
We have now added climate analysis so that they can account for how physical risks could impact over time.
We have also been discussing with UK Finance and its members how our ClimateIndex forward climate analysis could be used to triage potential risks, as well as supporting them in their thinking around how they are managed through their conveyancing panels.
It is becoming increasingly clear that property lawyers and conveyancers owe their client a duty of care to highlight potential climate risks.
This information is now automatically provided in our key residential and commercial environmental searches.
These are backed by climate clauses that they can use to advise both their client and also the lender through the Report on Title.
Stephen Tromans KC, the leading practitioner in environmental law in the UK reinforced this with his important legal opinion when he declared that if the tools and resources are now available, they are likely to fall foul of their professional duty if they do not use this.
The Law Society have recognised this and are producing new guidance, due out early next year. In the same vein, it is important that lenders review their conveyancing handbook guidance to reinforce the need for climate data to be considered as part of the environmental risk review of the property. There could be impacts to their TCF compliance if they don’t.
And what about outside of marketing? What do you get up to when you aren’t wearing your Groundsure hat?
Well, I’m a Francophile and enjoy spending time out in France. Like the UK, they suffered extraordinarily under this summer’s heatwave, reminding us all that climate change is a transnational issue we have to be joined up about.
I have written for many clients over the years and used some time in lockdown to start a book. It is a bit of a passion project that ties in themes around geography, geopolitics and how our changing environment is shaping people’s lives.
I am about two thirds of the way through and work has inevitably got in the way, but one day, you never know, it may get over the line and get published.
Then when I am not out and about with friends and family, or getting to as many music gigs as I can, I am a Fulham FC fan.
Seeing them get on a more even keel in the Premiership this season has been a relief and a delight!
