June 23, 2026
John Prestwich
Ojay McDonald
Blackstar Real Estate, the asset and development management company, has appointed John Prestwich and Ojay McDonald to its advisory board.
This follows the recent recruitment of Natalia Rakowska as an asset manager from Labtech.
John Prestwich brings more than 30 years’ experience in retail asset and property management, having led teams at Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE, Montagu Evans and Savills. His client base has included high-net-worth individuals, local authorities and major institutional investors such as M&G, British Land, The Crown Estate and Aviva.
With expertise spanning the full lifecycle of retail assets—from concept and development through to asset management, refurbishment and redevelopment—John has advised on numerous shopping centre projects and has a strong track record in identifying opportunities within a changing retail landscape.
Ojay McDonald is Chief Executive of the Association of Town & City Management, bringing significant experience in public policy, urban economics and town centre regeneration. He works closely with government ministers, parliamentarians, the UK Cabinet Office and industry leaders across a broad range of policy areas, including planning, transport, housing, retail and climate resilience.
Ojay has played a leading role in national regeneration initiatives, including serving as co-chair of the Sector Leaders Group for the High Streets Task Force. He is also a board member of the International Downtown Association and advises governments and organisations globally on place management and urban development. His work also includes coordinating the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Town Centres.
Commenting on the appointments, Sabri Marsaoui of Blackstar Real Estate said: “John and Ojay have huge experience across retail asset management, placemaking and policy and will provide invaluable strategic insight as Blackstar continues to grow and support our clients in a rapidly evolving market.”
The appointments reflect Blackstar Real Estate’s continued focus on strengthening its advisory capabilities and deepening its expertise in retail, mixed-use and urban regeneration projects across the UK.
