Property Appointments: Gerald Eve; Pick Everard; Vail Williams

Gerald Eve has recruited a new head of office in Birmingham to lead the firm’s Midlands industrial team.

Jon Ryan-Gill, who joins from Knight Frank, is a well-known figure in the city’s property sector.

Specialising in industrial agency, tenant representation and land and development activity, he has worked on many of the region’s most prominent schemes and advised the logistics sector’s leading investors, developers, landlords and occupiers.

Simon Prichard, senior partner at Gerald Eve, said: “These are exciting times for real estate in Birmingham and the wider Midlands region, and Jon brings with him the expertise and contacts to capitalise on the opportunities being presented in the marketplace.

“Gerald Eve has always sought to invest in its regional offices, and Jon’s arrival underlines our commitment to bringing in the very best talent nationwide.”

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Nicola Burley

Independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard has appointed a new head of project management for the West Midlands.

Nicola Burley will lead the development and growth of Pick Everard’s project management services across the West Midlands, based in its Birmingham office.

With more than 12 years’ experience in the industry, Mr Burley previously worked for asset management and construction consultancy Currie and Brown – then known as Sweett Group – as director of project management for the Midlands.

She said: “The opportunity Pick Everard was able to offer me in Birmingham was just too exciting to pass up. As the office is still relatively new, I’m looking forward to growing the team across disciplines – including quantity surveying and building surveying as well as promoting our broader design services offering.

“Through working as part of the Scape framework, the team has developed a strong presence in the public sector, so my main aim will be to compliment this and use my contacts to strengthen the relationships in the private sector.”

Her appointment is part of Pick Everard’s ongoing commitment to encouraging women in the construction industry. More than a quarter of its workforce are female, which is far higher than the construction industry average of just 12%. There are also a high proportion of women maintaining senior positions in the firm.

Alastair Hamilton, partner at Pick Everard said: “We’re delighted to welcome Nicola to the Pick Everard team. With her wealth of experience, she will play a pivotal role in growing our presence across the West Midlands.

“Nicola joins us at an important time of growth for the business, as we’ve opened two new offices in two years – in Bristol last year and in Birmingham in 2016 – as well as expanding our teams across other regions in the UK.”

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James FitzGibbon

Vail Williams has grown its Birmingham team with the addition of business rates expert, James FitzGibbon.

Mr FitzGibbon joins the firm as partner from Aitchison Rafferty, where he was a director in the commercial real estate team.

Specialising in business rates mitigation, the development and implementation of self-funding value propositions, and the alignment of property and finance strategies to deliver sustainable growth, he brings with him over 25 years’ experience of working within the commercial real estate sector, including HMRC and client side.

He joins a growing team of over 140 people based across Vail Williams’ eight offices in the Midlands and South of England, specialising in property advice for both commercial and residential property clients.

His appointment comes at a time of growth for Vail Williams, which recently relocated to larger offices on Newhall Street in Birmingham, and comes hot on the heels of the firm’s acquisition of the general rating division of Ruddle Merz in 2017.

Chris Cave, head of Vail Williams’ Birmingham office said: “Continued developments in business rates means that we look for dynamic individuals who are able to embrace change and exceed our clients’ expectations. The appointment of James to our growing Birmingham office represents exactly that.”