Krista Powell

Krista Powell is a real estate partner at Napthens and head of the firm’s Manchester office, where she is leading the growth of the practice. With more than 20 years’ experience in non-contentious commercial property law, she provides commercial, pragmatic advice to investors, developers, lenders and owner-occupiers on acquisitions, disposals and landlord and tenant matters across all sectors.

Krista supports clients with diligence and delivers practical, innovative solutions that help their businesses grow and contribute to the regional economy and beyond.

Krista has established experience in the leisure and hospitality sector, including working with leisure operators, hotel chains, developers and funders in respect of the acquisition and disposal of premises and portfolio management.

Her experience beyond hospitality includes:

• acting for developers on the acquisition of large-scale city centre sites for residential development, with gross development values of up to £200 million;
• advising investors and pension schemes on acquisitions, disposals and landlord and tenant matters, with a focus on office and retail space; and
• handling property transactions for a buy-and-build acquisitions group with more than 40 group companies, primarily in the industrial products and services sectors.

Sector engagement is a significant part of her role. Krista has organised and spoken at panel discussions, seminars and networking events and attends major property and investment gatherings including MIPIM, MAPIC and UKREiiF. She is a member of Real Estate:UK, the Law Society and the LDN Collective and sits on the Leisure Property Forum committee.

Krista also draws on Napthens’ wider experience across the hospitality and leisure sector. The firm is the sole legal adviser to the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), the UK’s largest beer trade association, representing more than 700 independent breweries. Napthens supports SIBA and its members with advice across licensing, property, employment, corporate and other specialist areas.

Through the pro-manchester Hospitality Committee, Krista brings a legal and commercial property perspective on the issues affecting hospitality and leisure operators, investors and developers. She is keen to share practical insight, support relevant events and strengthen connections across Manchester’s hospitality community.