Ashleigh Corbett joins the Scotland team to drive ambitious growth plans Global real estate advisor CBRE has strengthened its Scotland advisory team with the appointment of Ashleigh Corbett as Head of Flex, a unique role in the Scottish property market. Ashleigh brings a wealth of experience, having spent the last
Clowes Developments have further strengthened their team through the appointment of Jenny McCrea, a graduate from Nottingham Trent University. Jenny applied for the Graduate Surveyor position at Clowes in line with finishing her degree in Property Development and Planning where she obtained a 2:1. Jenny will be working with the
Two Principal Planners become Associate Directors and one team member is promoted from Assistant Planner to Planner DPP, one of the UK’s leading independent planning consultancies, has made key promotions at its offices in Cardiff, Leeds and Newcastle. Tom Molyneux Wright, Principal Planner at DPP’s Cardiff office, has been promoted
Ballymena-headquartered multi-disciplinary construction company Dowds Group has appointed Ciaran Tiffney as Construction Divisional Director. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Ciaran completed a degree and post-graduation in Construction Engineering & Management and Construction Project Management at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, which took him to a position
CBRE has announced the appointment of Rob Madden to the newly-created position of Head of UK Leasing, as reported by CoStar, a leading commercial real estate news organisation. In this new role, Madden will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to expand CBRE’s leasing business across the UK’s retail,
Harry Parker has joined Lanpro’s London office as EIA Technical Director. Harry is a consultant with 17 years’ experience within Environmental Impact Assessments and related work. He joins Lanpro from Enviroguide (part of the DNV group) in Ireland where he was Technical Director and EIA division lead, specialising on residential
CDS Superstores, the parent company of Wilko and The Range, has appointed Antony Darbyshire, former property director at Matalan, as its new Head of Property. Darbyshire brings over 30 years of experience in the retail property sector to his new role, where he will oversee the expansion of Wilko’s concept
Oliver Jones-Orrells has been appointed to the assistant director role that will support development, investment and continued economic growth in Manchester. Previously Head of Estates at Transport for Greater Manchester, Oliver has working alongside the Council on projects such as Mayfield and Electric Park but originally started his career here,
Technology provider HiiLIFE has announced the appointment of Oliver O’Hare as its first sales director. Hiring a new senior team member marks a significant step in HiiLIFE’s ongoing expansion, with Oliver bringing a wealth of experience in the engineering and HVAC sectors to the team. HiiLIFE, provides bespoke luxury
A sustainability champion has been announced as the Chartered Institute of Building’s vice president for the 2024/25 term. Professor Saul Humphrey, who teaches sustainable construction management at Anglia Ruskin University and picked up the Sustainability Award at the prestigious CIOB Awards this year, starts his journey towards becoming CIOB president
Ashleigh Corbett joins the Scotland team to drive ambitious growth plans Global real estate advisor CBRE has strengthened its Scotland advisory team with the appointment of Ashleigh Corbett as Head of Flex, a unique role in the Scottish property market. Ashleigh brings a wealth of experience, having spent the last decade working in sales and operations roles for flex space operators across Scotland including Flexspace, IWG, and more recently Orega. At Orega, Ashleigh spent six years as Regional Sales Manager where she gained unparalleled insights from an operator’s perspective that will complement CBRE’s existing office advisory services. Ashleigh’s appointment underlines CBRE’s commitment to the sector, bolstering the existing team led by CBRE’s UK Head of Flexible Office Solutions, Michael Glynn, Jordan Saleh, Head of Flex, North, and Daniel White, Head of Flex, Midlands and South. The strategic appointment responds to the growing demand for flexible office space from occupiers, landlords and operators who seek to grow their footprint in Scotland. The current provision of flexible office space in Scotland is behind availability in competitor cities, despite strong levels of demand. In Aberdeen, 1.7% of available office space is flex, with Glasgow offering 1.1% and Edinburgh 2.54%. This is low compared to Birmingham (4.5%), Manchester (6%) and London (12.5%). Ashleigh will be responsible for securing space for new occupiers, advising operators on growth opportunities, supporting landlords on the diversification of existing office space and managing turnkey solutions, which is a bespoke service now offered by CBRE. Ashleigh said: “Joining CBRE at an exciting period of growth, I’m really looking forward to expanding our flex advisory services in Scotland. The demand for flex space has undoubtedly surged over the past five years, and the Scottish market presents an exceptional opportunity to broaden and enhance its offerings. “Having spent the last 10 years working with operators, I bring a unique insight that will diversify our approach in the flex market and position us as the best-placed advisory team in Scotland. Since joining, I’ve been out meeting clients as well as people within my existing network and there is a genuine excitement about the flex opportunity in Scotland.” Matt Willcock, Executive Director at CBRE, said: “We’re excited to welcome Ashleigh who brings a depth of insight and knowledge around flex, importantly from an operator’s perspective. As Head of Flex, Ashleigh will play an integral role in the future of flex space in Scotland, which is undoubtedly going to accelerate. “We have created an exclusive proposition in the market that will benefit our clients, whether that’s landlords, occupiers or operators. We already offer such services in Manchester, Birmingham and London and we’re proud to be the first advisor to do so in Scotland. “Around 50% of occupiers seeking new space in key Scottish cities are considering flex opportunities. Traditionally, smaller businesses sought flex space, however we are now seeing larger firms, including a significant number of our own corporate clients, also consider flexible office space.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Clowes Developments have further strengthened their team through the appointment of Jenny McCrea, a graduate from Nottingham Trent University. Jenny applied for the Graduate Surveyor position at Clowes in line with finishing her degree in Property Development and Planning where she obtained a 2:1. Jenny will be working with the Land and Planning and Development team in a hybrid role giving her a unique insight into both departments. Tom Morley, Surveyor in the Land and Planning team, commented on Jenny’s appointment, “We are delighted to welcome Jenny to the team. Jenny will be supporting two departments which are closely linked in the lifecycle of a typical Clowes project. Namely, she will be assisting on the delivery of a brand-new site, Pleasley Hill in Mansfield, Nottingham along with progressing existing sites through planning and onwards. Jenny added, “As a local graduate, I wanted to find a company where I would fit in and feel part of a team. I took a look at the website and noticed Clowes have a healthy mix of employees and a culture which would allow someone like me to thrive and grow as a young surveyor. The head office at Ednaston Park is beautiful, who wouldn’t want to work in that environment? Additionally, I noticed some great opportunities which most graduates could only dream of being involved in. Fairham is an exciting project, 606-acres of mixed-use development opportunities and a desire by Clowes and Homes England to nurture a brand-new neighbourhood from scratch. It’s a relatively small team at Clowes, so it’s all hands-on deck, that really appealed to me.” Jenny has aspirations to complete her Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) in Planning and Development whilst working at Clowes. With a whole host of opportunities ahead of her, this will surely be a realistic goal for the new graduate. Clowes Developments are celebrating 60 years in business, they are one of the UK’s largest and strongest privately-owned property investment and development organisations, dedicated to a simple aim: to build a lasting legacy of strong, sustainable places that will enable future generations to prosper. The Derbyshire-based property group presented their strongest numbers in its history with turnover of £253.2m and operating profit of £43.4m for the financial year 2022-23. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Two Principal Planners become Associate Directors and one team member is promoted from Assistant Planner to Planner DPP, one of the UK’s leading independent planning consultancies, has made key promotions at its offices in Cardiff, Leeds and Newcastle. Tom Molyneux Wright, Principal Planner at DPP’s Cardiff office, has been promoted to Associate Director, as has Oliver Corbett, who will be stepping up as Associate Director at its Leeds office. Assistant Planner Joe Kirtley, who is a member of DPP’s Newcastle team, has been promoted to Planner. Tom is a graduate of the University of West of England and relocated from a planning consultancy in Bristol in 2018 to join DPP as a planner. He worked his way up the ladder and has now been recognised by his peers within the consultancy and has been promoted to Associate Director. Tom is as a Corporate Member of the RTPI Cymru Executive Committee, helping inform and shape planning policy in Wales. Tom works on a range of sectors on projects across Wales and Southern England, recently securing consent at appeal for a 419-bed purpose-built student accommodation scheme in Beeston, as well as the zero carbon in operation West Coventry Academy. Oliver Corbett is a graduate of Leeds Beckett University where he studied Town Planning. He worked at Kirklees Council as a graduate planner before joining DPP as a planner in 2018. Several promotions later, Oliver has now been named as one of DPP’s new Associate Directors. He also sits on the committee of Forum for Tomorrow (fft)Leeds, the young professional’s branch of the Forum for the Built Environment (fbe) Leeds construction industry networking group, where he organises various networking and CPD events throughout the year. Oliver works across many sectors at DPP and is currently working on major education redevelopment projects across the country. He is also leading on the regeneration of the Rheola Estate in the Neath Valley, South Wales, which includes three Grade II listed buildings and a Registered Park and Garden designed by renowned architects John Nash and George Stanley Repton. Joe Kirtley studied Urban Studies and Planning at The University of Sheffield and after graduating in 2021 went on to join firm of chartered surveyors as a graduate planner, before joining DPP as an Assistant Planner in August 2022. He is also a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute North East Young Planners Committee. Based out of DPP’s Newcastle office, Joe works across many sectors including education, residential, retail, leisure and health. He has worked on projects such as Culture House in Sunderland, Greenfield Academy in Newton Aycliffe and a major residential development in Easington Lane, Sunderland Gareth Hooper, CEO of DPP Planning, said of the promotions: “There is nothing I like better than seeing colleagues thrive at DPP and that’s just what we have witnessed with Tom, Oliver and Joe. “Being able to nurture talent is part of our DNA at DPP and seeing our younger staff members progress and contribute so much to not only us as a business, but also to our client’s work is so rewarding.” Gareth added: “At DPP we recognise that we need the best in the business on our team to win and work on the best projects. We are fiercely independent and so we are committed to succession planning and creating a culture of excellence in a supportive and fulfilling working environment.” More information about DPP can be found at https://dppukltd.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ballymena-headquartered multi-disciplinary construction company Dowds Group has appointed Ciaran Tiffney as Construction Divisional Director. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Ciaran completed a degree and post-graduation in Construction Engineering & Management and Construction Project Management at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, which took him to a position with McLaughlin & Harvey in 2008 as Assistant Site Manager – and later Site Manager – in London. During his eight years at McAleer & Rushe, Ciaran went from Project Manager to Project Director, and came back to Ireland in 2022 as Senior Project Manager at Quintain. Now based at Dowds’ new headquarters in Ballymena, Ciaran will focus on the division’s multi-million-pound confirmed order book and pipeline for the next 18 months. “The construction sector is challenging but it is also an extremely rewarding area to work in, and it is very exciting to join such a key player in the industry,” Ciaran commented. “We have recently announced record sales and a return to profit for the last financial year, and I’m looking forward to leading more opportunities for high-profile projects in Ireland and the UK.” To find out more about Dowds Group, visit our website at www.dowdsgroup.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CBRE has announced the appointment of Rob Madden to the newly-created position of Head of UK Leasing, as reported by CoStar, a leading commercial real estate news organisation. In this new role, Madden will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to expand CBRE’s leasing business across the UK’s retail, office, and industrial sectors. Madden will collaborate closely with CBRE’s Head of Occupier, Julie Ennis, to oversee the firm’s tenant advisory teams. With over 26 years of experience in the real estate sector, including 17 years at CBRE, Madden has held numerous leadership positions. Most recently, he served as Head of London Advisory and Transaction Services, a role that will now be taken over by Andy Monighan. Nick Knight, Managing Director of Lines of Business, commented: “Rob is highly respected across the industry and brings a wealth of experience within our advisory and transaction business that will serve him well in his new national role. This appointment will enable us to better meet the needs of our clients with a fully integrated approach.” Rob Madden added: “I am thrilled to be appointed as Head of UK Leasing at such an exciting time of growth. This role provides an opportunity to further drive synergies between our leasing and occupier lines of business across the UK. I look forward to working closely with Julie to optimise our client offerings and further strengthen the firm’s market-leading position.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Harry Parker has joined Lanpro’s London office as EIA Technical Director. Harry is a consultant with 17 years’ experience within Environmental Impact Assessments and related work. He joins Lanpro from Enviroguide (part of the DNV group) in Ireland where he was Technical Director and EIA division lead, specialising on residential and renewable developments. Prior to that, he was an Associate Director at AECOM, working on residential and commercial projects across London and the south east. Commenting on his new role, Harry commented, “I’ve had the good fortune to work across many sectors and for a wide range of clients across my career. I hope to bring my experience gained from working on various high profile residential, commercial and infrastructure projects and add value to Lanpro’s service. “I am excited about joining Lanpro and working with the EIA and major infrastructure environment leads Tara Chopra and Dermot Scanlon, the EIA team and the fantastic team of in-house specialists.” Tom Pike, Director of Planning at Lanpro commented, “We are delighted to welcome Harry to our growing team at Lanpro, at a time of excellent opportunity for the renewable energy sector. His experience will be invaluable as the market for onshore wind in England opens up to our clients and we look forward to maintaining a strong market position in this sector.” At Lanpro, Harry’s role will involve supporting Lanpro’s existing clients with EIA and related work, delivering key projects and adding capacity and depth to the EIA service. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CDS Superstores, the parent company of Wilko and The Range, has appointed Antony Darbyshire, former property director at Matalan, as its new Head of Property. Darbyshire brings over 30 years of experience in the retail property sector to his new role, where he will oversee the expansion of Wilko’s concept stores across the UK and Northern Ireland, as well as manage the 200-store portfolio of The Range. Darbyshire’s previous roles include a decade at Matalan and nine years as Head of Property at Sports Direct within the Frasers Group. His extensive background in property management is seen as a key asset as CDS Superstores moves forward with its ambitious growth plans. Commenting on the appointment, Alex Simpkin, Chief Executive of CDS Superstores, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Antony to our leadership team. His extensive experience and expertise in property management are exactly what we need as we accelerate our expansion plans and build on our success to date. Antony will play a critical role in ensuring that both The Range and Wilko continue to thrive and reach even more communities across the UK.” Simpkin also highlighted the company’s focus on revitalising the Wilko brand through innovative concept stores, encouraging landlords with suitable spaces to engage with them as they increase the pace of new store launches. Wilko, which was acquired out of administration by The Range last September, is set to open its sixth concept store in Poole on 16 August, following successful launches in Exeter, Luton, Plymouth, Rotherham, and St Albans. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Oliver Jones-Orrells has been appointed to the assistant director role that will support development, investment and continued economic growth in Manchester. Previously Head of Estates at Transport for Greater Manchester, Oliver has working alongside the Council on projects such as Mayfield and Electric Park but originally started his career here, training as a Chartered Surveyor and working on Eastern Manchester investment and regeneration. He will take up his new role in August. During his time at TFGM Oliver oversaw a variety of property development and disposal activities including roles delivering the Bus Depot Acquisition programme which enabled the rollout of Bus Franchising in GM He also oversaw land assembly activities relating to the Trafford Metrolink extension including a joint venture with Peel at Trafford Wharfside, and he was a Director of the Mayfield Partnership. During previous roles at Manchester City Council, Oliver was the property lead for the Eastern Gateway which included roles working alongside private and public stakeholders to facilitate development and land assembly in Ancoats and Islington, Holt Town and the Etihad Campus, alongside secondments to the New East Manchester Urban Regeneration Company. Oliver will take up the assistant director for development and investment role from late August 2024. Oliver said: “Manchester has been a hugely rewarding place to live and work and the development and growth of the city over the last twenty years has been an immense source of pride for me. “But there is still much more we can do and I relish the opportunity to contribute towards the city’s continued ambition for sustainable and inclusive economic growth – and the creation of great neighbourhoods that strengthen communities, attract investment and create jobs that will make sure that Manchester continues to thrive.” Joanne Roney OBE, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, said: “We welcome Oliver to our strategic development team where he will play an instrumental role in attracting further investment to the city, supporting sustainable economic growth and deliver exemplar investment for our communities. We look forward to working closely with him as he takes up this challenging role.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Technology provider HiiLIFE has announced the appointment of Oliver O’Hare as its first sales director. Hiring a new senior team member marks a significant step in HiiLIFE’s ongoing expansion, with Oliver bringing a wealth of experience in the engineering and HVAC sectors to the team. HiiLIFE, provides bespoke luxury technology packages for the construction, hospitality, and residential sectors. The business offers a comprehensive one-stop shop for all technological needs, including audio-visual (AV) systems, home entertainment, lighting, audio solutions, white goods, climate solutions, and smart home technology. Oliver said: “I was drawn to HiiLIFE by the company’s vibrant culture; the team is dedicated to working extremely hard, but also reward our efforts generously. The opportunity to continue working with Samsung HVAC equipment was another key factor, and it’s great to work in a new environment where we provide clients with one-stop solutions for all their technology needs. “I’m enjoying the team approach we have at HiiLIFE, where everyone works together to drive sales. Our culture is to encourage and support employees in achieving their goals and creating a clear growth trajectory for the benefit of both the individual and the business.” Oliver joined HiiLIFE from M&E contracting business, Chillflame Ltd. He joined Chillflame in 2014 and progressed from engineer to managing director within five years. Oliver increased Chillflame’s annual turnover by 350% and secured several large-scale clients such as Public Health England, Porton Down. Under Oliver’s management, Chillflame also won Contractor of the Year: HVAC & Specialist at the RAC Cooling Industry Awards in 2022. Oliver continued: “After thriving under the responsibility of leading a business and dealing with multi-million-pound contracts for the past four years, I’m looking forward to bringing that knowledge to HiiLIFE. I hope that my keen eye for detail and experience managing accounts, projects, and employees will land me in good stead for my new role.” As sales director, Oliver’s focus will be expanding HiiLIFE’s market presence and driving sales growth. His primary aim is to foster strong, enduring business relationships while consistently achieving sales milestones. Tom Brittain, Managing Director of HiiLIFE, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Oliver to the HiiLIFE family. His extensive experience and proven track record in growing businesses make him the perfect addition to our team. We are confident that his leadership in the sales division will help us achieve our ambitious growth goals and further establish HiiLIFE as a leader in luxury home technology.” For more information about HiiLIFE and its bespoke packages, please visit www.hii-life.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A sustainability champion has been announced as the Chartered Institute of Building’s vice president for the 2024/25 term. Professor Saul Humphrey, who teaches sustainable construction management at Anglia Ruskin University and picked up the Sustainability Award at the prestigious CIOB Awards this year, starts his journey towards becoming CIOB president this month. He will follow in the footsteps of current President Mike Kagioglou FCIOB and President elect for 2025/26 Paul Gandy FCIOB by becoming president of the world’s leading professional body for construction management in 2026. “I’m very proud to have been asked to become the next vice president of CIOB,” said Humphrey. “CIOB is an institution I am privileged to have been a fellow of for many years and I look forward to working closely with the senior leadership team over the coming years. “I am also humbled at the opportunity to put sustainability at the heart of the construction agenda.” Humphrey left school without A-level qualifications and joined the industry as an apprentice. He has hands-on experience in several roles within construction, rising to become a managing director, and later returning to academic studies. He gained a bachelor’s degree at Heriot-Watt University before going on to do a PhD at Loughborough University. “During my career, I started to become more aware of the construction industry’s footprint,” continued Humphrey. “The industry accounts for around 40 per cent of global carbon emissions, so we’re a big part of pollution and a huge part of biodiversity loss. “I soon realised the importance of Environmental Social Governance (ESG) and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which are of course a big focus for CIOB this next year. “I hope to use my platform to work closely with CIOB and the construction industry to showcase how construction can become part of the solution rather than the problem.” Outside of work, Humphrey prioritises spending time with his wife and two grown-up children, is involved in various charitable organisations and enjoys skiing holidays when he finds the time. Caroline Gumble, CEO at CIOB, added: “I was fortunate to spend time with Saul and some of his Anglia Ruskin University colleagues earlier this year, learning about the links between industry and academia in the region. “While there, I heard him issue an impressive call to students to live their values and prioritise sustainability in construction. In addition, he is a long-standing member and a CIOB Award winner and I am in no doubt that his knowledge, experience and commitment will be of huge value to the CIOB community. “I am looking forward to working with Saul as CIOB vice president and then as the 123rd CIOB president, taking on that role in 2026.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
