Johnny Sandelson

Johnny Sandelson is a UK businessman, entrepreneur and real estate developer. He is known for investing in a number of high profile property ventures. He proposed the 1,000,000 sq. ft. Carlyon Bay development programme in Cornwall which has a gross domestic value of £250 million.
Johnny Sandelson was born in London. In 1990, after leaving university, he worked for Nelson Bakewell Ltd before launching his career developing and refurbishing properties.
In 1995 Johnny Sandelson worked with ORMS Architecture Design on the award-winning 30,000 sq ft conversion of a Victorian school in Highgate Hill to form flats and houses. It introduced the concept of ‘loft living’ to Central London. The apartments were recognised by the National House Building Council (NHBC) with a design award.
Johnny Sandelson managed a £30 million construction programme for Forset Court in 2000. Forset Court, a nine-storey 1930s mansion building in Central London, cost a total of £10 million to build.
Johnny Sandelson is a cricket supporter and enthusiast. He also has an interest in arts and music and was on the council of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) between 1996-1998.
Investment portfolio
In 2002, Johnny Sandelson was appointed CEO of Ampersand Developments. Following this, he proposed a 1,000,000 sq. ft. Carlyon Bay resort which today has a gross domestic value (GDV) of 250 million. In June 2011, Cornwall councillors voted unanimously in favour of the Carlyon Bay development in St Austell. The proposed £250m development is one of the largest private investments in Cornwall.
In 2004, Johnny Sandelson launched GuestInvest, the UK’s first hotel buy-to-let scheme with Blakes Hotel, which he later purchased in 2007. His first venture was to launch GuestHouse West in Notting Hill, London. Property Investors in GuestHouse West were likely to receive a return of between 5 and 7 per cent a year derived from the rental income from their room. Following the success of GuestHouse West, GuestInvest purchased hotels in Cheltenham, Manchester, Brighton, Exeter and Liverpool with the aim of taking the buy-to-let scheme nationwide.
In 2007, GuestInvest opened a 170-room hotel in Paddington, with a 200-room hotel in the city following a year later. However, in Autumn 2008 GuestInvest was not able to withstand the effects of the credit crisis and the company was put into administration. Despite this, GuestInvest was recognised by Ernst & Young with a nomination - for Johnny Sandelson - as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008.
In 2008, he also negotiated a lease-holding development funding strategy with the Portman Estate, a West End development of flats which has holdings north of Oxford Street.
Since 2009, Johnny Sandelson has been working with Asian partners to establish a fund focusing on British iconic and strategic assets with numerous property transactions in Oxford and in Bath, including a joint venture with Blenheim Palace.
Awards
In 2006 Johnny Sandelson developed the Pencalenick House scheme. The luxury Cornish retreat received notable recognition including the Caradon Design Award for Best Overall Scheme in New Housing Category 2007 and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) South West Award 2009. Pencalenick House has been described by property experts as an example of 'contemporary and ecologically sound architecture'.

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