Considerate Constructors Scheme boss on her priorities
Desiree Blamey, the managing director of the Considerate Constructors Scheme, is on a mission to engage with the wider built environment industry.
Blamey says the not-for-profit organisation, which works with contractors and developers to promote best practice across construction sites, wants to increase its conversations with its partners, such as landlords, to help them achieve their ESG objectives.
"We are doing a piece of work to engage better with our client partners," she says. "I think they have sort of been left a bit in the past and I certainly see that as a huge part of what we need to do in terms of driving this [work], because ultimately [they] are a massive part of it as well, they need to see these things change for themselves."
Blamey, whose early career was spent in accountancy, told CoStar News that work to refresh the group's Code of Considerate Practice, which assesses constructors against community, environment and workforce criteria, will help firms to improve challenges around health and harassment across the UK and Ireland. She says the group also has work to do on how it is viewed by the industry.
"We need to be talking to people about the purpose of the organisation, we are a not-for-profit, trying to help the industry be better. We talk internally about the carrot and stick approach, we are not the stick, we are the carrot, we are trying to help people along that journey."
Derwent London chief Paul Williams to retire
Paul Williams is to retire as chief executive and director of Derwent London. The listed London developer said in a stock market filing last week that Williams will remain in his role until his successor is in place. His career at Derwent began shortly after the company was founded in 1984. He was appointed as an executive director in 1998 and became chief executive in 2019. Derwent said a process to appoint a successor, led by chairman Mark Breuer, will start immediately.
CBRE appoints regional head of flex advisory
CBRE has promoted Daniel White to the position of regional head of flex advisory, expanding his remit to cover the North of England and Scotland.
White, who rejoined CBRE in 2021, already led the firm's flex advisory activity in the Midlands and South West.
"White will drive the growth and integration of these services across regional markets, while maintaining a dotted-line connection into [our] UK Flex leadership team in London, which oversees the national platform," CBRE said. "I look forward to supporting our regional teams and clients with a joined‑up flex advisory offer that reflects the needs of occupiers, operators and landlords," White added.
Top adviser Jeremy Bates to retire from Savills
Savills' Jeremy Bates is stepping back from his executive responsibilities and will retire this summer after almost 38 years at the firm.
Bates joined as a graduate in 1988 and initially worked in the City offices team before moving to the business space division. He eventually led the division in the UK over almost 15 years and was also involved in building relationships in North America, identifying United States associates and later through the acquisition of Studley, now Savills North America. He also assisted with the formation of Savills' global occupier service.
Mix Manchester appoints airports duo to senior project roles
Mix Manchester, the £1 billion innovation campus development, has strengthened its project leadership team by appointing Helen Ratcliffe and Emily Fleet. The pair are currently senior development managers for Manchester Airports Group, which forms part of the joint venture behind the scheme. Ratcliffe is promoted to head of agency and development, while Fleet becomes head of delivery. It follows the December launch of a public consultation on plans for the first phase of the development. Ratcliffe said: "Mix Manchester is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a globally significant innovation and manufacturing campus for the North West."
Bristol's Cribbs brings in retail veteran as centre director
Andy Jackson, a retail property expert with a "proven track record in the shopping centre" business, has joined a major Bristol scheme as its centre director. Jackson was previously centre manager at Southampton's Westquay and held the same role before that at the Mailbox in Birmingham, Centre:MK in Milton Keynes and The Gracechurch Centre in Sutton Coldfield. He joins Leon Morse and Lizzie Taylor as part of the site leadership team at Cribbs and will be responsible for Cribbs Mall, the Venue leisure park, and the Retail Park, which are owned by M&G Real Estate and asset managed by Sovereign Centros from CBRE.
United appoint stadium development CEO
Manchester United Football Club has promoted Collette Roche to the role of chief executive, new stadium development, in a move it says formalises her work leading its participation in the Old Trafford Regeneration plans. The appointment follows the official launch last week of the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation, the group behind the vast project including a new 100,000-seater stadium. Roche said: "Our aspiration is to create the best stadium in the world for the best team and fanbase in sport, guided by fans’ input throughout the design and development process."