Firm appoints industry expert to Manchester housing team

Deloitte Real Estate has added infrastructure and housing expertise to its UK and Europe Cities Advisory practice with the appointment of Zoe Davidson.

Zoe, who has over 15 years’ experience, has joined Deloitte’s Manchester office from KPMG’s Infrastructure Advisory Team, where she led numerous regenerative housing and major infrastructure projects across the UK and abroad.

Projects include the York Central station redevelopment, the business case for HS2 in Manchester, and the AU$2bn redevelopment of Darling Harbour in Sydney Australia.

Zoe will lead on the firm’s housing and transport offering as part of the Cities Advisory practice. Launched in March 2018, Cities Advisory brings together a network of twelve key UK and European cities, including Amsterdam, Stockholm, Lisbon, Manchester and Brussels, to collaborate on city expansion, governance, and smart city initiatives.

The initiative is led by Simon Bedford, head of the real estate practice in the north of England, with support from Sir Howard Bernstein, Deloitte strategic advisor.

Simon Bedford, partner and head of real estate in the north of England at Deloitte Real Estate, said: “As we continue to pursue the controlled expansion of the Cities Advisory network to more cities across the UK and Europe, appointments of key people who can advise on the global stage will be vital.

“With such a breadth of experience, Zoe’s appointment is a marker of our continued ambition. Her work across housing and transport development, in particular, will benefit the support we offer greatly, and we are pleased to welcome her to the team as smart city planning continues to grow in importance across the UK and Europe.”

Zoe Davidson said: “Deloitte Real Estate has a reputation as one of the most experienced and respected real estate teams in the country, having developed a portfolio of high-level, complex schemes.

“The firm’s Cities Advisory practice is truly unique, representing a massive opportunity to make real differences to the way major cities collaborate, share best practice and plan for the future.

“I’m proud to join the team as we continue to drive that commitment, and look forward to working with key cities to address challenges and create new opportunities.”