Burley Browne continues to beef up its team

BEN Nicholson has been promoted to associate director at local commercial property agent Burley Browne.

Having joined the company as a graduate in 2011, Ben has worked across all aspects of the business. In recent years and in his new position, his focus is on the agency side of the business.

David Hemming, director at the firm said: “Ben’s commitment, expertise and level of service to clients has been unfaltering, and particularly with his knowledge and experience in locations such as Lichfield, Walsall and Tamworth. Ben has had a significant impact on the business.

“With this promotion and our recent appointment of Mark Fitzpatrick in the business space, industrial and logistics team, we’re laying down the foundations for sustained growth.”

Nicholson said: “Having progressed and developed with the business over a number of years in what was a challenging market, it’s satisfying to have reached this level and be actively involved in driving the business forward during improving economic times.”

Burley Browne has offices in both Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield.

Healthcare specialist joins CBRE

CBRE has hired a healthcare sector expert to strengthen its specialist markets team in Birmingham. 

Jon Hodgkins joins as associate director after ten years at Savills, where he headed up the healthcare division for the Midlands, South West and Wales. His role included advising on care homes, medical centres, extra care and retirement villages, hospitals and day nurseries.

He also undertakes research to support funding and planning applications, and provides operational and development advice.

Hodgkins also acts as an independent expert for contentious valuations and planning applications.

He has spent more than 25 years valuing property, with more than 20 of those focused on providing property related services to the healthcare sector.

At CBRE, he joins Rob Robinson, Rosie Young and Abigail Barnes in the specialist markets team.

Robinson, a director and head of the special markets team, said: “The healthcare sector, along with student housing, are no longer niche targets for investors. Increasingly, they form part of a balanced investment portfolio.

“Jon is an experienced surveyor who is well known within the healthcare sector. He will be a great asset to our team.”

Civil engineer joins city centre consultancy

CIVIL and structural engineering consultancy CWA has made another appointment.

Andrew Hardy has joined the Birmingham firm as an associate civil engineer responsible for the day to day management of the CWA civil engineering team.

He was previously a senior engineer with Arup in Nottingham and Solihull, and spent three years working with Arup in Qatar.

He is the second former Arup senior engineer recruited by CWA in less than six months. Structural engineer Andrew Godber joined CWA as an associate structural engineer in October.

Hardy worked on several major projects in Qatar including the Qatar National Museum and the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies. He also worked in Moscow on a brewery development.

CWA director Steve Wedge said: “We are expanding rapidly with a growing portfolio of projects. Getting someone with Andrew’s wide international experience will add to the capabilities of our excellent team.”

Expanding workload triggers promotions at Associated Architects

BIRMINGHAM architectural practice Associated Architects has undertaken a raft of promotions as a result of an expanding workload across all sectors.

The practice, which is 48 years old this year, has had a particularly successful 2015 with a number of high profile projects completing or winning planning consent including University buildings for Birmingham City University and Warwick Business School as well as Civic House on Great Charles Street and the new Birmingham Dogs Home in Solihull.

Some 13 members have been promoted in recognition of their contribution to the on-going success of the practice – existing Associates, Simon Alexander, Jon Chadwick, John Christophers and Graham Hall have been promoted to senior associate.

Joe Belcher, Tom Doling, Alex Paul, Nathalie Richardson, David Simpson, Steve Townsend and Rupert Walshe have been promoted to associate, with Mark O’Donnell and Carl Russell promoted to technical associate.

The new associates will now have roles within the practice’s management structure, with a remit to further develop the practice’s proven specialisms in passivhaus design, building information modelling and virtual reality capability, whilst creating new business centres in interior design and landscape architecture.

CPBigwood risk management team continues to grow

PROPERTY agent CPBigwood has announced a significant expansion of its risk management team.
 
The move reflects new business wins and increased regulatory requirements.
 
The department, based primarily in the company’s Summer Row offices in Birmingham, has more than doubled numbers to five.
 
The three new arrivals, all with extensive experience in the property sector, are internal transfers.
 
Shelley Harding, who has been with CPBigwood for12 years, has moved from the compliance team to the role of risk management coordinator. Michael Kelly, with ten years’ service, and Ivan Lloyd, 18 years in the sector,  joining CPBigwood in 2012, have switched from property management roles to become dedicated surveyors for the team.
 
Peter Jordan, senior risk management coordinator, said: “The moves will allow the company to continue to offer professional levels of services in the area of both general risk and fire risk assessments, and management of the increasing level of auditable data that modern surveys create.”