Property People: Housebuilder bolsters team; Growth continues for chartered surveyors; and more

A Midlands housebuilder has strengthened its team with two key appointments.

Hannah Watson joins Redrow Homes Midlands as land negotiator and Joe Blincoe as senior land manager.

These appointments mark the completion of the five-strong land management team, which is led by land director Danny Cheal.

Blincoe brings five years’ experience within the property sector to the team, having previously held the role of land manager.

His responsibilities in his new role will be to source land and to support the team in the acquisition of new land.

Watson has been working in the industry for four years and has a Masters degree in environmental and spatial planning. She previously held the position of land and planning manager for a strategic land company, where she was responsible for sourcing land opportunities.

Her new role will see her identify, evaluate and secure sufficient land for residential development in order to maintain a quality land bank for the Redrow Midland’s division.

Cheal said: “Both Hannah and Joe bring a wealth of experience to our now complete land management team – we are delighted to have two strong individuals joining our team with such great backgrounds and experience.

“The impact the recession had on those joining the property industry is still being felt, with experienced professionals within this industry in short supply – so we are thrilled to have now completed our team and look forward to strong, successful future.”

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Worcestershire commercial property consultancy GJS Dillon has welcomed a new associate director.

Andrew Lewis joins the chartered surveyors practice, which has offices in Worcester, Bromsgrove and Droitwich, from Lambert Smith Hampton’s London office.

At GJS Dillon he will work closely with managing director John Dillon on the firm’s commercial agency work, letting and selling office and industrial buildings.

Dillon said: “Having worked for Lambert Smith Hampton myself for a number of years, I know the calibre of training and work which their surveyors undertake, so Andrew comes to us with some first rate experience in commercial agency at a time when our team is increasingly busy.  He has also got the major advantage of local knowledge and contacts to pick up on as he returns home from London.”

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Gallagher, one of the UK’s largest providers of risk management and commercial insurance solutions, has appointed property insurance specialist Lee Gavin into the role of account executive, to further bolster the strength of the real estate team in the Midlands.

Gavin, who will be based in Gallagher’s Birmingham office on Newhall Street, brings over 20 years’ experience in insurance and has specialised in property insurance broking and the development of tailored risk management solutions for clients and their investment properties since 2003.

He will be responsible for assisting clients – including the likes of regulated property managers, asset managers and investors – in identifying gaps and improving their policy cover, as well as alerting them to any new or emerging risks facing their business.

Gallagher’s real estate team has a diverse portfolio of clients, which range in size and type of business, from property owners and investors to managing agents and developers.

Simon Bond, divisional director for real estate at Gallagher in the Midlands, said: “Lee’s appointment comes at an opportune time for our business. The property industry has enjoyed a successful past year, however whilst the industry is growing, property companies need to be aware of the risks facing their business, including insurance trends that may impact their business positively or negatively. Adding Lee’s vast industry knowledge to our existing team of specialists means we can continue to provide our tailored advice and insurance solutions, but also look to drive the business forward and take advantage of a buoyant commercial property market.”