About Us

Root Partners is a professional advisory service provider to the real estate industry.

Root is South African based but with extensive networks, knowledge and experience in many international markets in Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.  Root provides specific and tailor-made strategies and propositions for mixed-use and multi-phased property developments and prides itself on executing agreed strategies, plans and methodologies based on a proven, experienced and common-sense approach.

Root Partners was founded and is run by Martin Kearns, a real estate industry luminary with a wealth of knowledge and experience in many property sectors and markets.

Martin KearnsMartin graduated with an honours degree in engineering from the University of Leeds.  Martin subsequently worked as a consulting engineer with international consultancy firm, Mott MacDonald, in property and infrastructure projects in UK, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and Australia. Martin re-located to Ireland in 1999 to work with another international engineering consultancy firm, Arup.  In 2000 Martin was appointed to the position of Project Manager with a major Irish property development company in industrial and commercial properties.

In 2004, Martin moved to South Africa to establish the operation and business of Eurocape Holdings (Pty) Ltd.  During Martin’s tenure as CEO, Eurocape grew to become a major player in the South African property market with a number of key investment acquisitions and successful developments forming part of a growing property portfolio.  During this time Martin also served on the Board of the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), the public/private sector body tasked with the urban management and rejuvenation of Cape Town’s city centre.

In 2012, Martin was appointed as Development Executive of the V&A Waterfront where he held overall responsibility for the future expansion and development of this iconic piece of South African real estate.  Tasked with delivering a vision for the future expansion of the V&A Waterfront, Martin assembled and led an international team of consultants to define the future shape of the Waterfront together with its place within the Greater Cape Town context.

Martin also serves on the Board of Communicare, a Not-For-Profit housing development and management company providing affordable residential accommodation in Cape Town and the Western Cape.