Alex Kuropatwa

Alexander Joseph Kuropatwa (born November 1970) is a London-based business owner. His family has been involved in both the diamond trade and property development sectors. Along with his brother Oliver, he helped establish Kuropatwa Brothers (Proprietary) Limited, a diamond importing and distribution business that opened a UK office in Hatton Garden in 2007. This followed Oliver Kuropatwa’s co-founding of a diamond cutting and polishing facility in South Africa. Over time, the family’s commercial interests expanded into UK real estate development.

Education and Early Career

Alex Kuropatwa studied at the University of Cambridge and subsequently earned an MBA from Harvard University. His early professional background included roles in advertising and consulting. He began his career at Delaney Fletcher Bozell, later worked briefly as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, and in 2004 was appointed Joint Managing Director of Delaney Lund Knox Warren (DLKW), where he remained in a leadership capacity until approximately 2009.

Transition to Property Development

In May 2008, Alex Kuropatwa co-founded AK & AK Property Limited, which was later renamed Kuropatwa Limited. He served as a director from incorporation. The business grew to oversee residential development projects across London, often via special-purpose companies, including Cinnamon Quarter Limited, Beechwood Avenue Properties Limited, and Norbury UK Investments Limited, among others.

Notable Projects
Under Kuropatwa’s direction, the group delivered several schemes in the capital, including:

• 95 Peckham Road, Southwark (2019): A 33-unit apartment block developed in partnership with Hexagon Housing Association and designed by Peter Barber Architects.

• Edgewood Mews, Barnet: A 97-home development on a Transport for London small site, as part of the “Small Sites, Small Builders” initiative.

• TfL Sites, Wapping: Additional developments on three TfL-owned sites, collectively delivering more than 50 homes.

Kuropatwa Family

Several members of the Kuropatwa family have held directorships across the broader group of development and property companies. These include Oliver Kuropatwa, who has been active since the company’s earlier diamond business ventures, and David Kuropatwa, who has been a director of associated property companies since 2021. Earlier business interests in diamond importing and cutting are widely reported to have involved the family, with historical connections to operations in London and South Africa. 

Oliver Kuropatwa, born in January 1974, attended Peterhouse, Cambridge, and began his career in finance at Schroders. He later moved to South Africa where he co-founded a diamond business before returning to the UK to co-lead Kuropatwa Limited. He has held directorships across several real estate-focused entities, including Kuropatwa Group UK Limited, Wyvil Road Properties Limited, London Placemaking Limited, and RCLMA Limited.

David Kuropatwa is a UK-based director who has been involved in real estate ventures linked to the wider family network since 2021. He has served as a director in companies such as Portobello Property Developments Limited and Stoney Wood Holdings Limited.

London South Build Limited (formerly Kuropatwa Limited)

This company served as the primary development and contracting vehicle for a number of projects under the Kuropatwa name. It underwent two rebrands, from AK & AK Property Ltd (2008) to Kuropatwa Limited (2014), and then to London South Build Limited in December 2023, and formally entered liquidation in March 2025.

Insolvency and Related Entities

On 27 March 2025, a creditors’ voluntary liquidation was commenced for London South Build Limited. Insolvency practitioners Wayne Macpherson and Louise Donna Baxter of Begbies Traynor were appointed as liquidators.

According to the company’s Statement of Affairs, debts totalled approximately £3.5 million, including:

• £1.225 million to Kuropatwa Construction Limited (renamed AJKC Limited in April 2025)

• £1.499 million to Kuropatwa Group Limited, which is believed to be incorporated in Guernsey under registration CMP63672
  

If correct, the Guernsey incorporation and related-party nature of Kuropatwa Group Limited may affect creditor recoveries and transparency, although no wrongdoing is alleged.

Kuropatwa Construction Limited was renamed AJKC Limited on 11 April 2025 and entered liquidation on 8 May 2025, also using Begbies Traynor. Company accounts filed on 28 April 2025 show approximately £982,238.87 owed to creditors. Statements of Affairs reference multiple unpaid suppliers, including those associated with key development components such as kitchens, EV chargers and fire safety systems.

Post-Liquidation Developments

On 9 April 2025, a new company, AKCM Limited was incorporated by Alex Kuropatwa. It is registered under SIC code 70229: Management consultancy activities other than financial management. Residents at Clapham Quarter report receiving communications from @akcm.co.uk email addresses shortly thereafter, referencing remaining site-related matters.

While no wrongdoing is alleged, the timing and structure of AKCM Limited’s incorporation, following shortly after the insolvency of London South Build Limited and AJKC Limited, share characteristics with examples cited in UK government guidance on post-insolvency company formation (sometimes referred to as 'phoenix companies').

To date, no public explanation has been issued by Alex Kuropatwa or associated companies regarding the circumstances leading to the insolvency of the main contractor for Clapham Quarter. The Statements of Affairs reviewed offer only partial visibility on how the £3.5 million in unpaid liabilities arose, including the scale of intra-group debt. Residents and creditors have reported uncertainty regarding which parties bear responsibility for incomplete works.

Ongoing Monitoring

This page is updated regularly as new information becomes publicly available in relation to liquidation proceedings, company filings, and other relevant developments. All content presented here is based on official corporate records, publicly filed documents, and first-hand observations. If you believe any information is inaccurate or incomplete, please contact us with supporting documentation, and we will review promptly.