Stephen Miles has worked on some of the country's largest regeneration projects, including London's Thames Gateway and South Bank Leeds. But the Cushman & Wakefield employee says he is looking forward to expanding his skill set after being promoted to regional managing partner for Yorkshire and the North East, taking over from veteran Keith Hardman.

Miles, who has worked at Cushman for more than two decades, says a major part of his new role will involve bringing together the expertise of the firm's many divisions and supporting individuals leading major projects in key cities, as well as promoting and developing the business across the patches.

He highlights "real positives" surrounding property development in the regions and picks out some of the opportunities he sees ahead for the business. He told CoStar News: "I think we are going to see the benefits of city centre development coming forward, particularly in the residential sector. Data centres is also an opportunity sector, with Yorkshire and the North East having some great potential to grow further in that space."

"There is also a new government in place," he adds, "and they will have some policy development that are coming out of that, like the activity around the New Towns programme. Clearly within the region there is going to be quite a lot of activity responding to that agenda."

Workthere, Savills' flexible office business, has recruited into its flex disposals team with the appointment of Mia Boughen. She joins as an associate and will be based at Savills' London headquarters on Margaret Street, with the firm describing her as having a "diverse range of experience across the industry". This includes working as a sales representative at Instant Offices most recently and, prior to that, being a client account executive at PwC Tax. Boughen's new role will see her focus on landlord advisory. Dan Brown, co-head of Workthere UK, said: "Mia has a vast skillset that will complement our existing expertise and her joining comes at a great time as we continue to expand our business."

Brodie Faint has joined Commercial Property Partners, the Sheffield-based real estate advisor, as a director in its East Midlands team. Moving from chartered surveyors Phillips Sutton, Faint will work across the industrial, logistics and office sectors, building on more than eight years of transactional experience and consultancy expertise. He was a director at his previous employer, having started in 2015 as an associate, and has also worked for Fothergill Wyatt and Belvoir Lettings, according to his LinkedIn profile. CPP partner Sean Bremner said in a statement: "Brodie has a hunger and enthusiasm to succeed alongside a diligent and professional approach matching the ethos of our business."

Investment giant Blackstone has revealed that Frank Cohen, the chief executive of its Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, is retiring and will be succeeded by a 10-year company veteran, Wesley LePatner. Cohen has held the role since 2017, but plans to retire at the end of the year after joining Blackstone nearly 30 years ago. He will remain chairman of BREIT, a fund for investors that primarily invests in stabilised, income-generating U S commercial real estate. Having joined Blackstone in 2014, LePatner will become BREIT CEO on 1 January next year. LePatner is credited with setting up Blackstone’s core-plus business, including its three open-ended Core-plus strategies in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Chris Turnbull, principal in the building and project consultancy team at Avison Young's Newcastle offices, has become representative for the regions on the UK Executive, a role that influences and shapes the firm's business strategy and financial performance. Turnbull acts as project manager on the Pilgrim’s Quarter development in Newcastle city centre, having previously project managed the construction of Bank House. Gordon Hewling, principal and managing director of Avison Young's Newcastle branch, said: "This appointment is so well deserved, reflecting not only on Chris’s ability and experience, but also affirming the high esteem in which the Newcastle office is held within the UK organisation."

MK2 Real Estate has bolstered its property management team with three new appointments. Henry Gyselman and Gordon Davies have joined the Birmingham-based real estate consultancy as facilities managers, while Shreya Yadev joins as a newly qualified surveyor from Colliers. Gyselman has 20 years’ experience in facilities management and previously worked for LSH in Birmingham. Davies joins from developer St Modwen, where he worked as an facilities manager for 11 years and has more than 20 years’ experience in the property industry. Yadev spent more than two and a half years at Colliers, working in its investment property management and valuation teams.