Avison Young appoints UK and Ireland president
Avison Young has chosen its new United Kingdom and Ireland president after appointing former Cushman & Wakefield leader George Roberts to replace former boss Nick Walkley, who left in September.
Mark Rose, Avison Young's global chair and chief executive, said the appointment "signals the start of a significant era of growth, collaboration and differentiation" for the consultancy. He added on LinkedIn that Roberts, who joins in two weeks, would help the company across its global platform.
Roberts has more than 30 years’ experience in real estate and professional services and left Cushman & Wakefield last year having worked there for more than 15 years, most recently as head of UK and Ireland.
He said: "Avison Young stands out to me as a firm that differentiates itself through its agility and focus on global insight, market intelligence and technology. There is an excellent platform to start building from, and I’m excited to leverage our global knowledge and expertise to grow here in the UK and Ireland."
Hammerson CFO Himanshu Raja to retire this year
Himanshu Raja will retire as Hammerson's chief financial officer after working at the listed company for 15 years. He will step down on 12 August following the publication of its results for the half-year ending on 30 June. Raja has held the role for the last five years and has 40 years' experience in total. Richard Shaw, deputy CFO, will become interim CFO when he steps down. Hammerson said its board has begun a "formal and thorough recruitment" process to identify a permanent successor. Chair Robert Noel added: "On behalf of the board, I want to thank him for his contribution to Hammerson's success and wish him the very best for the future."
Rapleys names head of neighbourly matters
Strategic property consultancy Rapleys has appointed partner Natasha Bray as head of neighbourly matters. The company said the senior female recruitment forms part of its People Plan, which is committed to "diversification, development of talent and becoming the employer of choice in property". Bray has worked at Rapleys for eight years and was made partner and head of neighbourly matters for London in 2023. She joined the business in November 2017. The firm added that Bray's new role provides her with a mandate to grow the team as part of the building consultancy division’s ambitions, with several appointments to be announced imminently.
Rankeilour Properties recruits LondonMetric cofounder
Rankeilour Properties, the property investment and asset management company primarily focused on industrial and logistics properties, has added LondonMetric cofounder Valentine Beresford to its ranks. The industry veteran has more than 35 years' experience working at senior management and board level and joins as non-executive chairman of its new UK warehouse fund. He announced his retirement from the role of investment director at LondonMetric last October and left at the end of the last financial year. Valentine was one of the original founders of Metric Property, which had its IPO in 2010, before it merged with London & Stamford in 2013.
Cluttons hires healthcare and senior living division partner
Cluttons has launched a healthcare and senior living division, hiring Amanda Roddy from Avison Young as a founding member. Roddy, who spent two and a half years as a director in the healthcare team at her former employer, joins as a partner. She has more than 20 years' experience in healthcare property, with particular expertise in primary care valuation and investment advisory. Roddy was lead valuer for major fund portfolios at Avison Young, covering a combined asset base in excess of £2 billion. The chartered surveyor described the launch of the division as a "logical and compelling extension of the business" and said it would appoint a head shortly.
JLL makes regional industrial and logistics promotion
JLL has strengthened its Midlands industrial and logistics division by naming Will Arnold as its regional team head. Following the promotion he will lead the team in Birmingham, with the firm hiring Josh Brown and Tom Benson as a senior surveyor and surveyor at the same time. Arnold was a director in the business and joined JLL at the start of last year. Before that he spent more than a decade working in the national industrial and logistics agency at Cushman & Wakefield. Brown joins the business after a two-year stint at M1 Agency, where he was a surveyor, while Benson enters after spending more than two years with Carter Jonas as a graduate surveyor.
Turner & Townsend recruits chief transformation officer
Turner & Townsend, the global programme management company majority-owned by CBRE, has appointed Emma Gilthorpe as chief transformation officer. She will be responsible for "driving global transformation across its operating platform" in the newly created role, including exploring opportunities around AI and technology. Gilthorpe has more than 20 years' experience leading business transformation, strategy and operational performance improvement and was most recently chief executive of Royal Mail in the UK. She also spent 15 years on the executive team at Heathrow Airport. The recruit will work closely with chief operating officer David Whysall.