People: Innes England; Switch Hospitality; Richardson
Strengthening its Birmingham and West Midlands presence, commercial property agent Innes England has made a new senior appointment.
Freddie Eastman has joined the agency as a surveyor to continue driving the office’s business development and strategic positioning, while also bolstering its service capabilities and offerings.
Eastman brings with him five years of experience to the role. Since graduating from Birmingham City University in 2019, he has worked across the commercial property sector including Vail Williams: commercial property consultants
He said: “It’s a pleasure to have joined the Innes England team in Birmingham. I’m looking forward to helping strengthen our presence within the West Midlands through new deals, networking, and generally waving the flag. The team in Birmingham has already grown significantly since its launch, and I’m excited to be a part of that journey.
“I’m a very driven person with a natural aptitude for business acumen. Innes England has a strong sense of culture and ambition that resonates with my goals, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with the team both professionally and socially. I’ve already put forward several ideas for team events and charity fundraisers. While I’ll be operating from the Birmingham office helping drive our West Midlands presence, it’s great to be part of a wider team that I can call upon for support when needed.”
Switch Hospitality Management has announced the appointment of Kirstie Orton as the hotel manager of its flagship hotel, Park Regis Birmingham.
Orton joined Park Regis Birmingham as head housekeeper in 2020. Bringing more than 14 years’ hospitality experience to the role, she previously held positions at leading hotel brands in the UK, including 5 years as Executive Housekeeper at Marriott International in Birmingham.
Kirstie Orton
Most recently, Orton worked as group operations manager at Switch Hospitality Management, overseeing all operations across numerous sites in the portfolio, with the primary project being the pre-opening aspects of the new aparthotel Birmingham Snowhill.
She said: “Having joined Park Regis Birmingham nearly four years ago as head housekeeper, I have worked to understand the wider business world within the hospitality sector and I’m excited to bring my experience and understanding of the business to my new role as hotel manager.
“Park Regis is renowned for its commitment to exceptional customer service, creating an elevated experience that guests will want to return to again and again. I look forward to working closely with our award-winning team to provide an unforgettable stay for every visitor, and further establish our position as one of the leading hotels in the UK.”
John Angus, managing director of Switch Hospitality, added: “Kirstie has been a real asset to the business since she joined Park Regis in 2020, sharing our commitment to the ‘Switch standard’ of five-star service. We’re delighted that following her hard work and dedication over the past four years, Kirstie is stepping into the position of hotel manager, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role, which will play a vital part in Park Regis’ continued success and growth.
“As a people-driven and values-led business, we’re proud of the diverse and inclusive team at Park Regis, which is committed to first-class customer service and personal development. With every single employee trained in-house, our investment in people is for the long-term and it’s incredibly rewarding to see our staff members continue to excel and progress within the business.”
Carl Richardson has been appointed Honorary Colonel of the 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment.
The appointment will see Carl, who leads the Richardson family business alongside his two brothers Martyn and Lee, working closely with the Regiment’s Reserve Battalion, providing support to its leadership, and fostering esprit de corps within the Battalion.
Carl Richardson and Lt Col Charlie Whitting
Mr Richardson has already started to establish and develop strong links with 4 MERCIAN, having been hosted last week by the Battalion as part of an official visit.
The Richardson family has a long history of supporting the UK Armed Forces, with Carl previously serving as an Honorary Colonel of the 35th Signals Regiment as well as an Honorary Captain in the Royal Navy Reserve. Seven family members have also been in uniform in living memory.
Speaking about his appointment, Carl said: “On behalf of my family I am honoured to take up this role with 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment. The role of reservists within our military is becoming ever more important, and we look forward to working closely with Lt Col Charlie Whitting and his team, offering support to the 4 Mercian family as best we can. The Army is a highly respected institution and we would like to think our business shares their high esteem for the values of integrity, resourcefulness and teamwork.”
Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Whitting, Commanding Officer 4 MERCIAN, said: “It’s an absolute pleasure to be welcoming Colonel Carl to 4 MERCIAN as our new Honorary Colonel. The Richardson family have deep roots in the West Midlands and a longstanding history of supporting our Armed Forces.
“Combined, this makes for the perfect relationship between the Mercian Regiment and the Richardson family; Carl’s appointment as Honorary Colonel is fantastic news for us and the Mercian Regiment as a whole. We were fortunate to be able to host Colonel Carl during his recent visit to our Battalion Headquarters in Wolverhampton last week, which marked the start of his appointment; we are already planning future engagements as part of the Mercian Regiment’s busy and varied calendar.”
