New senior appointment as digital trust becomes critical
By Author Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR
Press Release โ London, November 2026 โ Signicat today announced the appointment of Keith Fenner as CEO and Pete Daffern as Chair, effective 10 November 2026. The appointments mark a coordinated leadership transition as Signicat opens its next strategic chapter. Keith succeeds Asger Hattel, who steps down as CEO after almost seven years, while Pete succeeds Johan Tjรคrnberg as Chair.
The transition comes at a critical time as generative AI accelerates the threat landscape, with 59% of European businesses seeing an increase in identity fraud, according to Signicatโs The Battle in the Dark report. It is uniquely positioned due to its proprietary AI capabilities, designed to detect and prevent deepfakes, synthetic identity fraud and identity theft. This growing demand for sophisticated digital trust solutions will continue to drive the companyโs expansion.
Digital identity has become a critical foundation for the European economy, driven by strict regulatory demands and sophisticated fraud threats. To meet this need, Signicat has spent the last years successfully building a leading Digital Identity platform with unique solutions within onboarding, identity proofing, signing, orchestration and authentication, supporting and advising thousands of companies with their critical digital infrastructure, while buying and integrating eight acquisitions. Today, it operates a digital platform where regulated large players in industries like banking, finance, payments and the public sector can find a complete solution for their secure online transaction and digital identity needs.
Since Nordic Capital invested in 2019, the company has grown tenfold. Through double-digit organic growth and acquisitions, Signicat has expanded its geographic reach and today serves more than 25,000 customers across more than 45 countries, supported by more than 550 employees across 16 offices in Europe.
With this European platform firmly in place, and the next growth phase about to begin, Asger Hattel and the Board have agreed that this is the right time to hand over to new leadership. Keith Fenner brings more than 25 years of international software leadership experience, with a track record in scaling businesses and driving international growth at companies including Microsoft, Sage, Galvanize and Diligent. Pete Daffern brings extensive governance experience across private equity-backed software businesses in Europe and the US, combining this with more than 30 years in enterprise software leadership.
โSignicat has established a market-leading platform in a sector that is critical to the European economy. The foundation is exceptional, and my focus now is on scaling that success. I am excited to join the team and open the next strategic chapter, to accelerate our international growth further, drive commercial execution and ensure we capture the immense opportunities in the digital identity space,โ said Keith Fenner, incoming CEO of Signicat.
โIt operates from a position of absolute strength in the market. Having guided multiple enterprise software companies through scaling, I look forward to leading the board and partnering with Signicatโs Executive Team to unlock the next chapterโ said Pete Daffern, incoming Chair.
With businesses and the public sector facing increasingly complex fraud and compliance challenges, it equips organisations with the tools needed to secure their digital transactions.
โWe are very pleased to welcome Keith and Pete. Their complementary experience across software, international growth and board leadership makes them well suited to build on its significant strong market position and pursue the opportunities ahead. Asger and Johan have both been instrumental to Signicatโs development, growth, and strong proven scalability, and Nordic Capital is grateful for their leadership and close partnership over the years,โ said Fredrik Nรคslund, Partner and Head of Technology & Payments, Nordic Capital Advisors.
Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR
INTELLIGENT PROPERTY SEARCH
By Author Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR
Real estate advisory group GLPG has launched an AI-powered smart data room, supported by intelligent property search, designed to help property professionals find new investment opportunities and access transaction information.
Central to the launch is ChatGLPG, the firmโs own AI assistant, which allows visitors to interact with GLPGโs property information using everyday language. Rather than relying on traditional search filters or navigating multiple pages, users can describe their requirements, discover available opportunities, explore GLPGโs ยฃ2.5bn+ transaction track record and connect directly with relevant team members.
Beyond helping users identify opportunities, GLPGโs smart property data room is a secure environment where authorised users can ask questions about complex transaction documents. Instead of manually searching hundreds of pages of planning permissions, Section 106 agreements, leases and technical reports, users can source relevant information quickly by asking the platform simple questions.
Registered users can save properties, set acquisition preferences, access confidential documentation and submit offers or expressions of interest. AI can also analyse a userโs company website to help build a tailored professional profile, creating a more relevant experience for investors, developers, lenders, agents and other property professionals.
For clients instructing GLPG, detailed data room analytics provide valuable insight into prospective purchasersโ engagement, helping the firm better understand buyer interest and manage transactions more intelligently. Behind the interface sits sophisticated, multi-layered security designed to protect confidential information and control access to sensitive documentation.
Dean Leslie, Co-Founder and Director at GLPG, said:
โWe wanted to rethink how people interact with a property advisory business and simplify the process for our clients. โProperty transactions involve enormous amounts of information, and technology should make navigating that complexity dramatically easier. โWeโve built sophisticated tools behind an exceptionally simple interface because thatโs how we believe technology should work.โ
GLPG is a multidisciplinary real estate advisory group based in Marylebone, London. Since its inception in 2016, the business has completed more than ยฃ2.5 billion of transactions across the UK real estate market. The firm specialises in Capital Advisory, Investment & Development Agency, and Affordable Housing Consultancy, advising developers, investors, lenders, receivers and housing providers throughout the full property lifecycle.
GLPGโs Investment & Development Agency team advises on the acquisition and disposal of development and investment opportunities across the UK. Its Capital Advisory division structures and secures tailored funding solutions across the capital stack, including senior debt, mezzanine finance and equity. The firmโs Affordable Housing Consultancy team provides specialist, end-to-end advice on Section 106, land-led and package transactions. Acting as a strategic bridge between landowners, developers, and registered providers, the team specialises in turning complex or stalled sites into deliverable schemes. Through planning optimisation and multi-stakeholder management, GLPG actively unlocks land, ensuring meaningful commercial exits and delivery of much-needed affordable housing.
Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR
The Guild urges estate agents to take Data Subject Access Requests seriously
By Author Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR
The Guild of Property Professionals is urging estate and letting agents to take a proactive approach to Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs), warning that increasing consumer awareness of personal data rights is placing greater responsibility on property professionals to ensure they understand and comply with their legal obligations.
Paul Offley, Group Compliance Officer at The Guild of Property Professionals, says that agents must recognise the importance of handling requests correctly, particularly as the volume and complexity of requests from individuals seeking access to their personal information continues to grow.
Each month, Offley receives numerous compliance questions and queries from Guild Members, providing valuable insight into the challenges facing agents. Over the past month, he has seen an increase in the number of requests from individuals seeking access to their data, some of which can be particularly complex, especially where an agency has maintained a long-standing relationship with the individual concerned.
With estate and letting agents holding significant amounts of personal information relating to buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants, understanding Data Subject Access Requests is no longer optional. It is an essential part of professional practice, maintaining customer trust and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), individuals have the right to request access to personal data held about them by an organisation. For estate and letting agents, this can include emails, property records, viewing notes, correspondence, internal communications and other information relating to a particular individual.
However, Offley is concerned that some agents may still underestimate the significance of a DSAR, viewing it as an administrative inconvenience rather than a legal obligation that requires careful consideration and handling.
A DSAR is more than simply providing a copy of a file
A Data Subject Access Request can arise at any stage of the property journey, whether from a prospective buyer, seller, landlord, tenant or any other individual whose personal information is being processed.
Requests can be made verbally or in writing, and individuals do not have to specifically use the words โData Subject Access Requestโ for their request to be valid.
Offley highlights that responding appropriately involves considerably more than simply forwarding a collection of emails or printing a customer record. It requires identifying relevant personal data, considering the rights of other individuals, applying appropriate exemptions where necessary and ensuring that information is disclosed securely and within the applicable statutory timeframe.
Why this matters to the property industry
Estate and letting agents hold significant volumes of personal information, often involving sensitive circumstances, financial details, family situations and communications between multiple parties.
Failure to recognise or properly manage a request can expose an agency to unnecessary risks, including regulatory complaints, reputational damage, customer dissatisfaction and potential enforcement action.
Conversely, a well-managed DSAR process demonstrates that an agency understands its responsibilities and respects the rights of the individuals it serves, helping to build confidence and trust.
Professionalism includes protecting peopleโs data
According to Offley, data protection must be treated with the same level of importance as the other legal and professional responsibilities that estate and letting agents manage every day. Agents are rightly expected to understand their obligations around property transactions, client money, professional conduct and consumer protection. Protecting personal information and respecting individualsโ data rights should be no different.
Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR
