People: BGF expands Midlands team with KPMG hire; RPS makes senior appointment to planning team; and more

BGF has appointed Subi Inayat as an investor in its Birmingham office.

Inayat joins from KPMG’s corporate finance team and brings four years of experience working across sell-side and buy-side M&A, leveraged buy-outs and debt and equity financing. He qualified as a chartered accountant last year.

His role at BGF will see him working across all areas of the investment process, from initial meetings with entrepreneurs and management teams, through to deal completion and continuing to actively work alongside portfolio businesses in the region after completion.

He said: “BGF has been consistently active in the market with high levels of investment activity and through the ongoing success of its portfolio companies. The opportunity to join such a well-respected team was a compelling one and I look forward to working with ambitious entrepreneurs in the region to realise their growth plans.”

Gurinder Sunner, head of BGF’s Midlands team, added: “It’s great to be welcoming Subi to the team in Birmingham as we continue to grow. As our recent expansion to larger offices in The Lewis Building demonstrates, we’re committed to long-term growth in the region, and Subi’s local knowledge and experience in the region will be a great addition to the team as we continue to thrive here.”

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Multidisciplinary consultancy RPS has added a principal planner to its expanding planning team in the Midlands.

Jacob Bonehill joins the company from the West Midlands Combined Authority, where he was strategic delivery advisor.

He has built up over 12 years of experience in the industry and is well versed in Birmingham’s planning policy, having held senior positions at Birmingham City Council, where he advised on and developed planning policy for several sectors including employment land and education within the city.

He also provided advice on a number of key developments in the region, including the 1,150 home Port Loop development, the 71 ha Peddimore industrial site and the Langley Sustainable Urban Extension.

He said: “Having the opportunity to join a business like RPS was something I couldn’t really turn down, and I’m looking forward to getting involved in the major projects which the business is advising on.

“This is a new challenge for me, and I’m looking forward to starting a role where I hope my experience in with both public and private sector organisations and planning policy within the region will be a useful asset for the team.

“Birmingham and the wider West Midlands is thriving at the moment and the amount of ongoing and future development there is in the pipeline, with the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Coventry becoming the City of Culture in 2021 and HS2 makes it a fantastic place to be involved in this industry.”

His new role will involve providing a number of services across different sectors, including providing core planning advice to clients, site promotion, environmental assessment statements and pre-application planning advice.

Operational director at RPS, Tim Partridge, said: “Jacob’s appointment is great news for the RPS Birmingham Office, and we’re sure he will become a real asset to our team.

“He’s been at the heart of planning policy in Birmingham for much of his career, and we’ve no doubt that his experience dealing with different organisations across a number of fields will be of great benefit, and gives us a real insight into the workings of the City and metro area which will prove invaluable to clients.

“We are already talking to a number of major developer clients about development opportunities.”