People: Well-known property figure appointed by Brindleyplace; Court Collaboration welcomes commercial director; and more

Birmingham property adviser Matt Long has been appointed as a brand ambassador for Brindleyplace in a newly created role for the estate.

As head of tenant engagement and placemaking, Long joins Brindleyplace from Calthorpe Estates where he headed up customer and community relationships.

He has also worked at Colliers International where, as a director, he was involved in the office agency activity in Birmingham, working as part of the national offices team.

Prior to that, Matt also worked at DTZ, now part of Cushman & Wakefield.

Brindleyplace has occupiers like NatWest, Deutsche Bank, Deloitte, Avison Young, X&Y, Lloyds Bank, and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.

In total there is more than 1.1 million sq ft of commercial space across the estate.

Leisure operators include more than 20 bars, cafes and restaurants including Bank, Las Iguanas, Alchemist, Lulu Wild, Cosy Club, Perios and Pulperia.

Long said: “I firmly believe that building strong relationships is the best and most effective way to do business. Brindleyplace has always been a special place and  I can’t wait to get stuck into developing the customer experience across the estate. The Covid pandemic has shown the value of relationships, of reaching out and working together, and I want to develop that through my role.”

Raj Rajput, managing director – asset management, UK, Hines, said: “Matt’s appointment illustrates our commitment to working closely with our occupiers to tailor our offer to their business needs.  Having Matt on board brings a hugely experienced and enthusiastic Head of Tenant Engagement and Placemaking  with the right skill set to push the estate forward with customers, occupiers, and their staff.

“Building relationships is a key part of how we manage the estate. With a mix of modern, flexible space combined with best-in-class leisure facilities, green open spaces and food and drink options, Brindleyplace continues to really set itself apart from other commercial spaces within Birmingham.”

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Specialist residential developer Court Collaboration recruited Thomas Taylor as commercial director.

Taylor, who studied law at The University of Leicester and Birmingham’s University of Law, and is a practising solicitor, joins from Balfour Beatty, where he led the legal team for the core construction services business for England and Wales.

Prior to that, he worked in Eversheds’ Birmingham office for nine years, specialising in substantial development projects in the residential, retail, education and healthcare sectors.

As commercial director, his role at Court Collaboration will include site acquisition and funding to pre-construction and delivery.

Alex Neale, managing director at Court Collaboration, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Tom to the team. He has a huge passion for construction and as a qualified solicitor, he has been able to combine this passion with his profession, specialising in construction and engineering law. Tom’s attention to detail and ability to cut through complex issues with clarity allows him to mitigate project risks and help ensure schemes are delivered on time, within budget and to the highest quality.

“It’s an exciting time for Court Collaboration as we prepare to push on with a number of projects, and as an experienced leader, Tom is going to be instrumental to our continued success.”
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Warwickshire-based automotive communications specialist Red Marlin has added three new members to its growing team in support of a number of new client wins.

Red Marlin’s grid row of new clients includes a vehicle manufacturer, an original equipment manufacturer and an international motorsport team.

To support activity on the expanding account roster, Joe Slinn and Holly Sennett have been appointed as public relations and social media account executives, respectively.

Meanwhile, new office manager,Debbie Onions has swapped a career working with blue-chip companies for a new chapter with Red Marlin. With 40 years’ experience working for a variety of high-profile companies in London and the Midlands, including as PA to the Duke of Westminster, her new role will be to oversee the day-to-day running of the office.

Danny Rughoobeer, managing director and founder of Red Marlin, said: “Despite the economic and practical challenges the industry has faced throughout the pandemic, we are delighted to have come out the other side of the tunnel in such a strong position.

“We are excited to welcome a great group of talented people to join our team at such an important time for the company.”

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Birmingham-based e-commerce agency Cake has hired a creative director.

Luther Spicer, the latest addition to Cake’s senior leadership team, will be responsible for leading the agency’s in-house creative design and brand support.

Spicer has previously worked freelance for Seedlip and Milly Grace, and as head of product design and UX at Birmingham-based clothing brand P&Co.

He said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed as creative director at Cake. Having worked with the team on projects before, I’m no stranger to Cake as an agency and the great work that they do for retailers across the region. I’ve always admired the team’s ethos, and the culture that they have created, which reflects both within the business and through its clients.

“Within my new role as creative director of Cake, I want to ensure that as an e-commerce agency we’re putting the customer at the heart of every journey we create. Channelling a human-centred approach, I want to align the science behind e-commerce with creativity and design.”