On the move: the latest East Midlands hires
Northamptonshire-based Graham Budd Auctions has appointed Martin Green to lead “a dynamic shift to a new category of auction sales for 2023 and beyond.”
Green joins Graham Budd as head of whisky following 35 years in the whisky auction business. He is credited with devising and holding the first ever dedicated whisky auction at Christie’s in 1989, as well as developing the whisky department at McTear’s and resurrecting the same section at Bonhams.
Green – who once helped to sell a Valerio Adami Macallan-60 year old-1926 for £848,750 – said: “Now is a fascinating time for whisky sales, with buyers keen to invest in Scotland’s legacy of older, top quality bottles, built on centuries of experience. I am looking forward to helping build a strong whisky offering for Graham Budd Auctions at such a pivotal moment for the industry.”
Adam Gascoigne, CEO of Graham Budd Auctions, said: “One way or another, we’ve been connected with Martin for over 30 years, since his time at Christie’s back in 1988. Martin has worked from the ground up to create an incredible career and we are thrilled to have him on board.
“I’ve seen first-hand Martin’s passion for whisky and making record-breaking sales in some of the most prestigious auction houses across the U.K. I’m thrilled to have someone of Martin’s pedigree joining the Graham Budd team as head of whiskey ahead of our first sale in October.”
Spitfire Homes – the Midlands housebuilder with live sites in two East Midlands counties – has appointed a new commercial director.
Martin Brazier brings more than 15 years’ commercial experience to Spitfire. In his previous role at Taylor Wimpey, Brazier played a key role in the roll-out of COINS, a software platform that supports housebuilders and property companies including Spitfire Home to streamline their operations and project delivery.
Martin Brazier
He said: “Spitfire Homes has a strong reputation for quality, from the signature properties it delivers for buyers to the service it provides.
“Reflected in the launch of its new vision, brand and wider product range in recent years, the scale of Spitfire’s ambition is clear. Joining the business’ talented and ambitious team to support the next phase of this journey is hugely exciting and a fresh challenge for me.
“As a commercial team, our focus is working with a range of sub-contractors and suppliers to ensure the delivery of Spitfire’s high quality, sustainable homes that people can be proud of, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to be a part of that.”
Spitfire Homes MD Ben Leather added: “Martin has a wealth of commercial experience in the sector and shares our passion and desire to build sustainable, high-quality homes fit for modern living.
“It’s never been more important to listen to our customers, understand their priorities and react to their needs when building our new homes. In recent years we’ve taken huge strides toward meeting the rising demand for our properties, with a robust development pipeline meeting a wider range of homebuyer requirements across an array of price points and product types.
“Our appetite to develop this further remains strong as we continue to explore further land opportunities across the Midlands region. I have no doubt that Martin will play a significant role in supporting Spitfire Homes to fulfil our ambitions of delivering further growth throughout 2023 and beyond.”
