With more than 30,000 items and an original estimate between £7.6m and £11.3m, Freddie Mercury's auction at Sotheby's in London in 2023 exceeded expectations, fetching £39.9m in just over a week.

In this week’s episode of The RICS Podcast, we meet the three exceptional women who helped bring this sale to the public and asked them about the challenges in discovering, valuing and selling the belongings of an international rock star who is so fondly remembered.

Rachel Reilly is the Senior Director and Head of Valuation for Europe at Sotheby’s London. Sarah Hodgson and Carey Wallace are memorabilia specialists and Co-Founders of Wallace and Hodgson, who were engaged as consultants to work on the wardrobe section of the sale.

Notable sales include Mercury's crown and cloak, selling for £629,000, almost 10 times the estimate, and a Tiffany & Co moustache comb that went for £152,400, over 250 times its estimate.

The auction's success (140,000 people visited Sotheby's to view the items) highlights the enduring appeal and legacy of the iconic Queen frontman.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• The extraordinary scale, popularity, and success of the Sotheby’s Freddie Mercury auction
• The process, challenges, and expertise needed to manage over 30,000 items, including iconic costumes and unique memorabilia
• The importance of storytelling and immersive curation to make the experience accessible, emotional, and museum-like for visitors

Ashley Stewart-Noble

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleystewartnoble/

Carey Wallace

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carey-wallace-0b0a3a28/

Sarah Hodgson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hodgson-76792923/

Rachel Reilly

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-reilly-172513273/

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:

https://www.rics.org/uk/

RICS Podcast Page

https://www.rics.org/podcast/

Kieran Halliwell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdhalliwell/

This episode is part of RICS Legal Landscapes, a limited podcast series developed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors which is CPD-compliant and designed to support professional development across the surveying profession and the broader built environment.

The role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the construction industry is evolving, and recent case law shows how it’s being most effectively used in recent examples.

In this episode of The RICS Podcast, Dave Hull MRICS is joined by Guy Bolt MRICS and Kirsti Olson, sharing their expert legal and practical perspectives, the essentials of ADR, and its real-world impact on project success.

Learning outcomes

Explain the importance of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the construction industry and identify its key practical applications.

Analyse recent legal developments and landmark cases to evaluate how they shape the use of ADR.

Demonstrate the essential skills and capabilities needed to participate effectively in ADR processes.

Assess the value of interdisciplinary collaboration between surveyors, legal teams, and other professionals in managing disputes.

Apply current guidance and reflect on future trends to understand how embracing ADR can improve project outcomes and support ongoing professional development.

Dave Hull MRICS

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davehull/

Guy Bolt MRICS

https://www.linkedin.com/in/guysheerbolt/

Kirsti Olson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsti-olson-84288b51/

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:

https://www.rics.org/uk/

RICS Podcast Page

https://www.rics.org/podcast/

Kieran Halliwell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdhalliwell/

Sustainability is, and will continue to be, a prevalent factor in the built environment; this year’s RICS Sustainability Report 2025 offers fresh insight into how the climate agenda is shaping practices across the world.

In this insightful episode of the RICS Podcast, host Kisa Zehra is joined by leading experts Susanne Eickermann-Riepe FRICS and Alexandra Faciu MRICS to explore the latest findings, with critical regional insights and the policies driving decarbonisation in construction.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• The evolving demand and market drivers for sustainability in real estate
• Financial constraints and access to capital as current major barriers to sustainable development
• The impact of government policy, regulation, and harmonised sustainability standards across different regions
• The increasing significance of climate resilience in valuation, investment decisions, and risk management for real estate assets
• The crucial role of RICS members in advancing decarbonisation efforts and implementing best practice globally

Susanne Eickermann-Riepe FRICS

https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-eickermann-riepe-pwc/

Alexandra Faciu, MA MRICS

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrafaciu/

Kisa Zehra

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kisa-zehra-0740ba92/

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:

https://www.rics.org/uk/

RICS Podcast Page

https://www.rics.org/podcast/

Kieran Halliwell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdhalliwell/