Wake Smith chairman Neil Salter won Property Personality of the Year in the South Yorkshire Property Awards 2025.
Highly-regarded lawyer Neil has spent 30 years in South Yorkshire’s commercial property sector gathering an unrivalled understanding of the city and the region, positioning himself as a friendly, expert voice on the sector, investment, development and regeneration.
Yorkshire Business Insider’s award recognised Neil’s personal impact on the property sector in South Yorkshire last year, but also considered his achievements throughout his career and was announced at the black tie dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Sheffield.
Neil said: “I am delighted to receive this award. This award is not just for me, but for all the commercial property people in the region who work so hard to make Sheffield and South Yorkshire a fantastic place to start, deliver and grow a business.”
Neil joined Wake Smith in 1995 and has been head of commercial property since1996, leading the biggest and busiest department at Wake Smith.
30 years on, Neil is still completing transactions, often going above and beyond, to make deals happen.
Neil, who has a specialism in retail investment, acts for national, regional and local clients in manufacturing, healthcare property development and regeneration via his long term, established local and national client base, including private investors in London with national portfolios.
He advises clients on a range of complex, high value commercial property transactions including acquisitions of commercial and residential investment property; residential development and sales; retail and out-of-town property development; asset management for property owning companies and landlord and tenant work, also offering niche sector work.
Neil also sits on the firm’s banking and finance team, one of the largest in Sheffield and South Yorkshire, handling related finance and funding matters.
The Legal 500 guide describes Neil as having up to speed knowledge of market trends and providing informed advice, structuring and handling transactions on all commercial property matters.
Find out more about Wake Smith’s commercial property services here