People on the move: Blackstone Solicitors; Assura; Vincents Solicitors; GVA; Select Property Group

L-R Emma Nawaz with Anjali Patel and partner Daniel Thomas

Blackstone Solicitors has announced further expansion as two new employees join the team in the Hale, Greater Manchester office as well as an internal promotion.

Set up in 2010 by Emma Nawaz with a focus on commercial litigation, the firm was quickly recognised achieving a string of award accolades and establishing a portfolio of clients locally, nationally, and internationally. Earlier this year Blackstone opened a Mayfair office to compliment the Hale practice.

Hannah Kirk joins as a litigation solicitor, Ashona Chakraborty as a residential paralegal and Anjali Patel has been given a sought after training contract, taking the team to 28 staff.

The range of services now provided by Blackstone includes, commercial and property litigation, residential property, commercial property, wills and probate and corporate services, as well as a specialist Iran Desk.

Blackstone managing director Emma Nawaz added: “We are delighted to welcome our two new starters and to offer a Training Contract to Anjali. I am an advocate of nurturing young talent and I feel confident that with guidance all three will continue to develop.  All impressed me with their aptitude and most importantly their attitude and I am sure that they will complement our current team very well”

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Warrington healthcare property investor Assura has added a new senior chartered surveyor to its specialist team, to support its growing pipeline.

Andrew Cooper joins the FTSE 250 company, based in the former Greenalls Brewery, following development and property management roles with Total Property Solutions and WM Morrison.

Assura, which owns almost 400 properties valued at more than £1.3bn, has a pipeline of £153m in primary care property acquisitions and developments – with 14 potential new schemes currently progressing across the country.

Property director Andrew Darke said: “We’re delighted to have Andrew joining us at such a busy time – we have some really innovative and ambitious programmes in motion but ultimately, it’s the skill and expertise of our team which deliver the fit-for-purpose buildings that GPs so desperately need.

“With the two biggest political parties both pledging to improve NHS buildings during the next parliament, this is a particularly crucial time to be expanding the range of our experience even further.”

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Experienced property and commercial solicitor Ross Wellman is celebrating his 30th year as a lawyer with a move to Vincents Solicitors.

Wellman has been appointed head of the commercial department for the Lancashire law firm, headquartered at Winckley Square in Preston.

Having qualified in 1987, Wellman has gained a wealth of experience over the last three decades working with major law firms in London and Manchester, including Penningtons, DWF and Halliwells.

In that time, he has worked for a number of national and international brands such as Manchester Airport Developments, Taylor Wimpey, The Berkley Group, Provident Life, Commercial Union, Littlewoods, Nikal, RBS, Nationwide, Bolton Sixth Form College, and Urban Splash, on a range of property, corporate, and non-contentious construction issues.

Most recently he has been a consulting solicitor for Setfords in Manchester, working with property developers, investors and high net worth individuals on their commercial and personal property transactions.

A previously listed Legal 500 lawyer, Wellman will head up the 10-strong commercial department at Vincents, looking after clients’ commercial property acquisitions, disputes and disposals, corporate, contractual and employment issues.

He has already introduced a number of new property and construction clients to the firm, including a student accommodation provider and commercial property portfolio holder, and aims to increase the firm’s work with residential housebuilders, contractors, investors, and landlords.

He said: “I’ve always developed a personal relationship with my clients, making myself available and providing a friendly, bespoke service to them. I believe that’s why so many have returned year after year, and I will continue that ethos here at Vincents.”

Phillip Gilmore, managing partner of Vincents, said: “We are delighted to have a solicitor of Ross’ calibre and experience join the senior management team at Vincents. He’s held partner-level positions with some of the UK’s biggest law firms and his arrival is excellent news for both our commercial clients and the staff in that department.

“We’re confident Ross will attract some exciting new clients and contribute significantly to the firm’s growth over the coming years.”

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GVA, the real estate advisory service, has appointed Andrew Pexton as head of the North West industrial team at its Manchester office.

Pexton replaces senior director Robert Dunston who retires at the end of June, after 21 years at the leading real estate advisory firm.

Having worked for GVA for more than 20 years, Pexton has been involved in providing development and agency advice to leading funds, developers and companies including Royal London, Peel Logistics, IPIF, Goodman and Aviva.

Other high-level instructions and transactions include B&M Retail’s acquisition of 611,000sq ft at Speke and a 250,000sq ft pre-let to XPO at Central Park, on the Trafford Park Industrial Estate in Manchester.

Chris Cheap, regional senior director for GVA’s Manchester office, said: “During his time at GVA, Robert made a significant contribution to the business and we wish him all the best for the future.

“I am delighted that Andrew has accepted the offer to lead our industrial team across the North West. I have no doubt that he will deliver for new and existing clients and drive the team forward as market leaders.”

Pexton said: “The logistics and manufacturing property sector has adapted to the changing requirements of occupiers and investors, most noticeably over the last five years.

“The change in the market presents an ideal opportunity to move the team forward, and I look forward to focusing on both our existing and new clients in a range of established and emerging sectors.

“We have an excellent client base which understands the importance of succession planning. We are currently focused on strengthening the industrial team nationally with recent appointments in Bristol and Birmingham, as well as expanding our offer across the North West.”

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Jon Walker is the latest name to join Select Property Group’s growing development team.

He joins as the business continues its expansion, with nine operational schemes, 11 with planning and in development and more to be announced across the UK.

Appointed as procurement manager for the group, Walker brings with him more than 18 years’ experience gained at Barratt Developments plc, one of the largest residential property development companies in the UK, where he was most recently group procurement manager.

Based at Select’s head office in Alderley Edge, Cheshire Walker will work with the development team to deliver consistency and drive value across the group’s brands; providing processes and systems to enable efficient purchasing and support how the business is run.

Chief commercial officer, Mark Oakes, said: “It’s fantastic to have Jon on board and will allow us to develop new and existing supplier partnerships and provide commercial value for the business. With a huge development pipeline and a clear and determined direction, Select is a massively ambitious and energetic company to work for.”

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