Graeme Hall: growing teams, building futures, and keeping it real

TSA Riley’s UK and Ireland business has entered a new chapter—and Graeme Hall is right at the centre of it. As Regional Director of Market Growth, he’s helping shape the next phase of TSA Riley's expansion across the UK&I, supporting sector and service leads, driving mergers and acquisitions, and keeping delivery aligned across the board.

With decades of experience, deep local knowledge, and a track record of building strong, high-performing teams, Graeme brings a mix of hands-on delivery and strategic leadership—grounded in respect, practicality, and a quiet passion for building things that matter.

From supermarkets to strategy

Graeme began his career as a quantity surveyor with Bellway Homes, before joining Henry Riley in Newcastle to help deliver Sainsbury’s supermarkets across the north-east and Scotland. After a few years, he made the move to Cambridge to broaden his experience and complete his Chartership. “I needed a wider project range to sit my Assessment of Professional Competence, and at that time most of the work was concentrated in one sector,” he says. “So, I stepped away for a couple of years to get that breadth.”

During that time, Graeme worked at Northcroft on a range of projects for the University of Cambridge, hospitals, and other public and private clients, before receiving a call from his former team. “Henry Riley was reintegrating its regional partnerships, and they asked if I’d consider coming back,” he says. “I could immediately see the potential in the Cambridge office and being part of a national business again made it a really good opportunity.”

He rejoined as a senior quantity surveyor and quickly progressed into leadership. By his early 30s, Graeme was an equity partner and, soon after, took over as head of the Henry Riley Cambridge office. “When I started, there were 7 of us. Today, we’ve got nearly 30 people. And most of the team have been with us for years.”

A people-first mindset and loyalty that lasts decades

From day one, Graeme has led with respect. “I treat the apprentice the same way I treat the managing director,” he says. “You adapt your style, of course—but the core of it stays the same: respecting the individual.”

That mindset has shaped the culture of the Cambridge office—where people are encouraged to make decisions, own their work, and grow. It’s a place where team members stick around, not just because they’re loyal, but because they’re supported. “Clive in our office has been here 60 years,” Graeme says. “Others have done 40-plus years. That tells you everything about how we treat people.”

It’s not just about tenure—it’s about trust. “A lot of people join us from bigger businesses expecting rigid hierarchy and top-down control,” he says. “They’re used to layers of approvals and second-guessing. But once they realise they’re genuinely trusted to use their judgement here, they thrive.”

That confidence, he says, is the difference. “We don’t hire people to be micromanaged—we hire them to think, lead, and grow.”

In addition to long-serving team members, the business has seen strong success with its apprenticeship, graduate and APC programmes. “The mix of experience, new energy and ideas makes for a well-rounded work environment,” Graeme says, “one that marries the wisdom of long tenure with the innovation and enquiring minds of young people.”

Creating meaningful places

Graeme has worked across a wide range of sectors but says his most rewarding projects have been in retirement housing. “We took outdated housing stock and replaced it with modern, state-of-the-art homes,” he says. “A lot of it was publicly funded, and the demand was huge. In most cases, residents moved in within days of completion.”

Some of those projects involved decanting residents from buildings in serious disrepair and then welcoming them into safe, accessible, purpose-built homes. Others were mixed-tenure, combining affordable rent, shared ownership, and private pay.

He’s also delivered private communities designed more like hotels than traditional care settings. “Bars, cafés, landscaped gardens—they’re beautiful places to live. It’s a really rewarding sector.”

Graeme’s experience also spans historic buildings and student accommodation for Cambridge Colleges, healthcare, housing developments, and affordable housing programmes for social landlords. He’s taken on fund monitoring roles and delivered projects as both a quantity surveyor and project manager.

“There’s not much I haven’t had a go at over the years. These days, I do less project work myself—but I still stay involved. If I commit my time to a client, I always deliver on that. Commitment, integrity and client care are very important to me.”

So, what does a Regional Director of Market Growth do?

It’s a role that spans strategy, alignment, and delivery—supporting sector and service leads across the UK, overseeing mergers and acquisitions, and identifying new opportunities for growth. “I’ve still got my day job, but this role brings a broader remit,” Graeme says. “It’s about working across the regions, helping keep everything aligned, and making sure we’re set up to grow in the right areas.”

He’s also providing executive oversight for TSA Riley’s Dispute Resolution team and supporting integration efforts across new service lines. “It’s a complex part of the business, but there’s a lot of potential—and we’re focused on setting it up for long-term success.”

“I guess you could call me the oil in the engine,” he adds. “I endeavour, with the help of others, to make the parts run smoothly to deliver enhanced business performance.”

What happens when a local business goes global

Becoming part of TSA Riley has unlocked new opportunities for the UK business—opportunities that simply weren’t possible under the old Henry Riley partnership structure. “As a partnership, we owned everything ourselves. So, every pound we invested came out of our own pockets,” Graeme says. “That limits how fast you can grow.”

Now, backed by TSA Riley’s scale, strategic direction and investment capability, the UK&I team is expanding into new sectors, enhancing delivery systems, and accelerating its long-term growth agenda. “Infrastructure is a growth area we’ve always wanted to explore more—but it’s tough to break into without a track record,” Graeme says. “TSA Riley brings that experience and credibility, and we’re already gaining traction in that space.”

And while the business is evolving, Graeme says it’s important for people to understand the value of what’s changing. “New structures and processes can feel unfamiliar at first—but they’re here for a reason,” he says. “Understanding why they’re in place is key. They help us grow sustainably, deliver consistently, and create more opportunities—for the business and for our people.”

That transition hasn’t been without its challenges. Graeme has seen first-hand how integration can succeed—or stumble—depending on how people are brought into the process. “When people understand the ‘why,’ they get on board. When they don’t, it’s harder. That’s why communication is so important.”

Spaniels, spreadsheets and Sunderland AFC

Graeme lives in the Cambridgeshire countryside with his wife, 3 children, and 3 working cocker spaniels. His weekends are full—he manages his 17-year-old son’s football team, supports his 2 daughters’ love of horses, and is a long-suffering Sunderland AFC fan. “My eldest is at university studying law, my son is studying at college, and my youngest is working towards her GCSEs—so there is never a dull moment. Fortunately, my wife is super organised and keeps us all in check.”

When he’s not coaching, spectating, or chauffeuring, Graeme enjoys getting outdoors with the dogs, socialising with friends, or catching a show at the theatre.

And if he weren’t in this industry? “Like most young boys, I wanted to be a footballer,” he says. “But I’ve always liked building things and making a contribution—whether it’s a team, a project, or a process. It’s the feeling of being heard and that my contribution is valued that has kept me here.”