People: CBRE; Lodders; Contechs; Midven
CBRE has made seven senior level promotions at its office in Birmingham.
Anne Walsh, Richard Connolly and Richard Brown have been promoted to senior director, while Raj Bains (Operational Real Estate), Ross Jones (Building Consultancy) and Luke Thacker (Industrial & Logistics) have made the step up to director.
Walsh joined CBRE’s Hotel Advisory team in 2015, with a focus on the regional UK hotel sector. She advises private and public sector clients on all stages of a hotel’s lifecycle, from inception through to trading.
Connolly joined CBRE’s Valuation team in 2006. He specialises in commercial property valuations for a range of clients, including major banks and lenders, institutional funds and property companies.
Brown is a member of CBRE’s national Planning and Development team, based in Birmingham. He has worked in planning for more than 20 years, both in the public and private sectors, with a particular specialism in complex infrastructure projects and large-scale city centre regeneration schemes.
In addition to the senior promotions, Beth Pywell and Dan White have been promoted to associate director; Louise Peart and Toni Sohpal to senior surveyor; Sam Shaw and Kim Lewis to surveyor and Melissa Marton to personal assistant.
Will Ventham, head of CBRE Birmingham, has also been made up to executive director. He said: “This latest round of promotions demonstrates the strength and breadth of talent we have at CBRE, at all levels of the career spectrum, from surveyors to senior directors.
“Whilst it’s important to recognise and reward the efforts of those at a senior level, it’s equally important to be nurturing talent at a more junior level, and I’m pleased we have struck that balance with the promotions we have made.”
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Law firm Lodders has announced ten promotions across its Real Estate, Dispute Resolution, Business Services, Agriculture and Rural, Private Client, and Operations teams, including three legal director appointments.
In Lodders’ top-ranking Real Estate group, Constantine Berry and Josy Haigh are promoted to legal director, Laura Taylor to senior associate and head of the New Homes team, and Lauren Pearson, who joined Lodders as a paralegal in 2014, and completed her training and qualified as a solicitor at the firm, is also promoted to senior associate in the Strategic Land and Residential Development team.
Property dispute resolution specialist Ellie Crofts is promoted to legal director within the firm’s fast-growing Dispute Resolution practice.
The firm has also promoted Nicola Vernon to associate in its Business Services group, Nicola Beach to senior associate in its Agriculture and Rural team, and Alexia Haines to associate in its Private Client team, which is one of the largest dedicated private client practices in the region.
In Lodders’ Operations team, Emily Brampton becomes facilities manager, and Will Elson is promoted to digital marketing executive at the firm. As Lodders’ first-ever marketing apprentice, Will joined the in-house marketing team in November 2021.
Lodders’ managing partner Paul Mourton says: “This latest round of promotions represents the broad range of legal skill and talent within the firm and reinforces our commitment to developing individuals who bolster our sector-leading expertise and provide outstanding client service. Those chosen for promotion are skilled specialists in their field, with many having progressed their careers and trained entirely at Lodders, and made a valuable contribution to their teams, the firm, and our clients. Recognising and developing the talent of our people will continue to be an integral part of our growth strategy which has seen us become one of the leading and fastest-growing law firms in the region, as demonstrated by our recent award wins at both a regional and national level.”
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Design and engineering consultancy Contechs has appointed automotive industry innovator Peter Jarvis as group chief executive to lead the company’s rapid international expansion.
Previously the managing director of Contechs, Jarvis now takes over as group CEO of Contechs Holdings Ltd. His appointment is aimed at driving the company’s growth and innovation, further enhancing the services Contechs provides to its OEM clients worldwide.
With more than 30 years experience in the automotive industry, his expertise spans engineering, design, manufacturing and operations. He has been instrumental in establishing the £70m turnover business as a respected name in the automotive world, providing cutting-edge innovations to some of the world’s most prestigious brands and tier one suppliers.
He has expanded Contechs’ footprint in multiple international markets, creating a global network of operations, driving innovation through research and development and growing its service offerings to meet the evolving needs of the industry.
Jarvis said: “I am proud that the passion of our team has steered Contechs to new heights, making it a global leader in engineering and design for the automotive sector. We now plan to grow still further, expanding our markets and industry services to new and existing customers worldwide.”
Meanwhile Ian Brookes, one of the founders of Contechs, has been appointed group chief financial officer.
With bases in Warwick, Basildon, Cologne and Hyderabad and almost 700 employees, Contechs is a world-leading provider of specialist vehicle design and engineering services, working with the most prestigious international manufacturers and suppliers.
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Birmingham-based venture capital firm Midven, part of Future Planet Capital, has announced the addition of two new team members.
Jordan Ong joins Midven as an associate and brings valuable experience from his previous role at the Development Bank of Wales, where he collaborated with companies including Space Forge. At Midven, he will play a crucial role in identifying high-growth opportunities for the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund.
Hogan Breeds, who joins as an investment associate, brings a track record in M&A transactions across various sectors. Additionally, Hogan’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to found award-winning company SoberDrive during college. At Midven, he will focus on investments across the firm’s current funds, including Midlands Engine Investment Fund and West Midlands Co-Investment Fund.
“Our new additions to the team, Jordan and Hogan, will be instrumental in our mission to foster growth and support entrepreneurs across the Midlands,” said Surjit Kooner, director at Midven. “This expansion further reinforces our commitment to provide exceptional support to businesses with innovative solutions and strong market potential.”
