Property People: The latest hires across the region’s property sector

A raft of promotions has been announced by Midlands property company The Wigley Group.

The company, which has introduced a new structure as part of plans to continue the growth it has seen over the past decade.

A new executive board headed by chairman Robert Wigley — the son of company’s founder — with James Davies becoming chief executive after three years as managing director, and James Ellerington promoted from director of operations to chief operating officer.

The board has two non-executive directors; Anna Brocklehurst, partner at Charnwood Accountants and Business Advisors, and James Polo Richards, partner at law firm JG Poole & Co.

Louis Smith is promoted to director of estates after 10 years with The Wigley Group and three years as head of estates, and Claire Lynch, who joined the company in 2016, becomes director of central group operations after two years as head of group governance and development.

Chris Parsons takes on an enhanced role as head of property and operations.

The changes also mean Wigley Contracts (Barby) becomes a dedicated development company to be complemented by the existing construction business, Wigley Building and Development.

Wigley Contracts (Barby) will be run by development firector, Mike Vining, who has worked as a consultant with The Wigley Group for over 15 years.

The Wigley Group and its associated companies are based at Stockton House in Stratford-on-Avon.

James Davies, chief executive at The Wigley Group, said: “Our business is very different to the one that was first established as a construction plant hire and road building contractor in 1964.

“The property and land portfolio has grown significantly over the past 20 years, and we have an ambitious long-term, strategic investment plan to continue that growth through this new structure.

“Re-instating Wigley Contracts (Barby) Ltd alongside the already established Wigley Building & Development Ltd as companies in their own right will give us a firmer foothold in the thriving development and construction sectors as we look to add to a strong and varied portfolio of projects that have either been completed or in the pipeline, including Daimler Wharf in Coventry and the construction of a high-performance training centre for Premiership rugby club Wasps.

“As well as investing in property and land, we’re committed to investing in our people, so it’s a great delight that all of the newly created roles have been filled through internal promotions.

“This remains a family-owned company with the son of its founder as chairman and with that ethos at the forefront of our minds that we have assembled a fantastic team in recent years that combines experienced heads with the next generation.

“This is an exciting time for The Wigley Group and its associated companies, and the structural changes that we are making now are intended to enable us to continue to drive the growth that we have seen over the past 60 years by laying firm foundations and setting a clear direction for what we want to achieve over the next 60 years.”

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Harris Lamb has announced three promotions for 2021, recognising the work of team members within its Environment, Business Rates and Management Accounts departments in Birmingham.

Rob Kennedy, who leads the Management Accounts team, has been promoted to an associate while Rob Pinks of the Business Rates department has been promoted to senior surveyor and ecologist Josh Randhawa has been made a consultant ecologist.

Richard Fantham, director, said: “2020-2021 has brought circumstances and challenges we could never have imagined to every sector, and we have been incredibly impressed with the way our entire team has responded to them, adapting to remote working and ensuring that our commitment to high service levels was maintained and that client and colleague communication remained strong throughout.

“All of our departments have worked hard throughout this time, but these promotions reflect the efforts that Rob, Josh and Rob in particular have put in to supporting their departments and their clients.”

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Forge Property Consultants has recruited a graduate surveyor to the property and land management company’s growing team.

Amie Beacock, who recently graduated from Harper Adams University with a degree in Rural Estate and Land Management, completed a brief internship at Forge Property Consultants in January 2021.

She will now be working across both of Forge’s offices in Shropshire and Staffordshire, delivering valuations, RICS Homebuyers reports, sales and lettings, as well as planning, utilities and farm and estate management.

Director of Forge Property Consultants, Charles Lawson, said: “Amie came to us on a part-time work experience basis initially, but after a few weeks we were able to fill her time. She is already proving to be an extremely useful addition to our team.

“As well as having the right attributes to work towards becoming a Chartered Surveyor, she fits in well into the existing team which is so important. We look forward to helping Amie develop her career at Forge Property Consultants.”

Forge Property Consultants has offices in Shropshire and Staffordshire.

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Midlands housebuilder Avant Homes has boosted its regional operation with the appointment of two senior members to lead its land team.

Land director Sarah Whetton and senior land manager Clayton Penny, have both joined Avant Homes to further strengthen the land team and accelerate development opportunities within the Midlands region.

Avant Homes Midlands currently has nine developments under construction stretching from Ashbourne to Warwick.

Avant Homes Midlands managing director, Tim Brickley, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Sarah and Clayton to our land team in the Midlands. With their wealth of experience within the housebuilding industry they are more than up to the challenge of leading the land team to great success.

“We have big growth ambitions to increase our unit output across the region and as new additions to the team, Sarah and Clayton will be focused on identifying and securing new land opportunities allowing us to deliver much-needed, high-quality homes across the Midlands.”