Why Nick Millican Believes Old-School Software Still Has a Place in Today’s Business World
In an age enamored with sleek platforms and AI-enhanced tools, it’s easy to overlook the quiet resilience of old-school software. But for Nick Millican, CEO of Greycoat Real Estate, the staying power of legacy programs like Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint isn’t an accident—it’s proof of their enduring utility in a fast-changing business world.
Millican leads a firm deeply embedded in the high-stakes world of central London real estate, where timing, clarity, and execution determine returns. He sees value not just in what new technology can do, but in what older tools still do exceptionally well. The appeal of established software, he argues, lies in its predictability, interoperability, and depth of functionality—qualities that matter when deals span months, teams, and multiple layers of due diligence. A more detailed view is shared in this article about his approach to long-term investment.
Excel, for instance, remains the financial backbone of commercial real estate. For Millican, its value isn’t just in its formulas—it’s in its transparency. A well-structured spreadsheet offers immediate auditability, enabling teams to trace assumptions and challenge numbers with confidence. In an industry where risk-adjusted returns are paramount, the ability to model and test scenarios without abstraction is a strategic advantage. Learn more about how Nick Millican aligns legacy tools with future needs.
Similarly, Outlook and PowerPoint serve as workhorses of professional communication. In Millican’s view, their real strength isn’t flash—it’s integration. Outlook brings structure to the tempo of team collaboration, while PowerPoint distills complex investment narratives into a format investors know and trust. These tools allow for precision without the distraction of novelty. This Crunchbase listing adds further background to his strategic leadership.
Millican doesn’t dismiss innovation. He’s clear-eyed about the efficiencies and insights that emerging platforms can bring. But he also sees a risk in tech churn: the frequent switching of systems in search of marginal gains. In contrast, old-school software, refined over decades and embedded into institutional processes, provides stability—a kind of infrastructural trust.
What anchors Millican’s approach is pragmatism. Tools are not status symbols; they are enablers of strategy. And the best ones, he argues, are often those that have proven their worth under pressure. While the business world evolves, the fundamentals of execution, clarity, and alignment remain. For that, the classics still have a role to play.
In Nick Millican’s world, old-school software isn’t outdated. It’s optimized—for real work, real time, and real results. You can learn more at https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/greycoat-ceo-nick-millican-on-sustainability-and-evolution-in-londons-workspaces.