Real estate consultancy Bidwells has appointed Virginia Brewer as its head of heritage.
The firm said that Brewer, a chartered surveyor, "brings a unique blend of commercial and conservation experience" to the role.
Brewer started her career at King Sturge and later working in acquisitions for major hospitality operators, including city centre restaurants, Scottish & Newcastle, and Regent Inns.
Brewer retrained in 2016 to specialise in architectural conservation and has since worked on a broad range of high-profile heritage and planning projects, including London's Tower Bridge as well as The Dorchester and Lanesborough hotels.
Other projects the recruit has worked on include the British Museum and the Knole Estate in Kent, in addition to numerous listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens and conservation areas across the UK.
Brewer will lead the heritage team at bids to expand its remit beyond traditional heritage work with colleges, science parks and residential developments. This will include exploring opportunities in renewable energy infrastructure, strategic land, and large-scale placemaking projects.
Mike Derbyshire, head of planning at Bidwells, said in a statement: "Virginia’s arrival brings fresh expertise and perspective to our growing Heritage team. Her deep understanding of both the commercial and conservation aspects of development will be an asset to our team. We’re delighted to welcome her."