GPE was founded by Howard and Basil Samuel in 1959 to invest in properties originally developed by the Dukes of Portland. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange later that year. It acquired the Ilex Estate in 1997. In 2007 the company converted into a real estate investment trust.In April 2018 it was announced that KKR would be taking up 57,000 square feet of space in GPE's new office development in Hanover Square. The move was the biggest single deal in Mayfair for a decade.Great Portland Estates was rebranded to GPE in November 2021.
