Get Living has appointed Kate Freer as its new chief executive, replacing the firm’s long-standing chief executive Rick de Blaby, who is retiring to pursue a non-executive career.
Outgoing chief executive Rick de Blaby
Freer is a real estate veteran with more than 25 years in the sector, most recently serving as Realstar’s executive vice-president investments (UK). She spent 11 years at the firm, helping growing its UK multifamily platform and Uncle brand from the ground up to 28 assets with a GDV of £2.6bn.
Prior to that, she spent 10 years at Blackstone, working on operating platforms such as NHP, Nido, Centerparcs, Logicor, MultiRetail and Chiswick Park.
She will take reins at Get Living with effect from Autumn 2026. Before then, Gertjan van der Baan will fulfil the position of interim chief executive after de Blaby’s departure at the end of May. Van der Baan was previously chief executive of residential rental company Vesteda from 2014 to 2024 and has been a senior adviser at Get Living since the start of the year.
Get Living chairman Jeremy Helsby said: “We are delighted to welcome Kate to Get Living at an important time in our growth strategy and we all very much look forward to working with her in furthering the continued growth of the business.
“I would also like to say a huge thank you to Rick de Blaby, our out-going chief executive. During Rick’s nine-year tenure, initially as chairman and subsequently as chief executive, he has presided over the growth and expansion of Get Living into the market leader it is today. We wish Rick every happiness in his non-executive career.”
De Blaby added: “Building Get Living into what it now is has been a huge team effort. I will genuinely miss the companionship of everyone, many of whom I count as good friends. I look forward to watching Get Living fulfil its full potential and wish Kate every success as she brings her own ideas and drive to the next chapter.”
Formed in 2013, Get Living has a portfolio of 6,200 homes for rent across seven neighbourhoods, and this year will launch The Elephant, a major mixed-use new destination in London zone one.
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