Geberit, a leading manufacturer of sanitary products and piping systems, has appointed Danielle Lillis as its new Product and Marketing Director for the UK. Lillis brings over 20 years of industry experience to the role, having previously held senior positions at major bathroom distributors and manufacturers. Most recently, she served
Fife College has this week welcomed a record intake of 350 first-year Modern Apprentices through its doors. Apprentices from Engineering, Construction, Automotive, Plumbing, Gas Engineering and Life Sciences have all started their apprentice journey across the College’s Rosyth, Dunfermline and Glenrothes campuses. This year’s record intake also includes, for the
Celebrations are underway at the GSSArchitecture Newcastle Studio, as Dan Jones has been promoted to Associate. Dan joined GSS in 2022 as a Senior Architect and has since overseen the delivery of numerous projects, including the retrofit and upgrade of the Grade II listed King George VI Building for Newcastle
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
Geberit, a leading manufacturer of sanitary products and piping systems, has appointed Danielle Lillis as its new Product and Marketing Director for the UK. Lillis brings over 20 years of industry experience to the role, having previously held senior positions at major bathroom distributors and manufacturers. Most recently, she served as Sales and Commercial Director at Ideal Bathrooms, where she was responsible for its extensive supplier portfolio, and both the sales and marketing teams. In her new position, Lillis will lead Geberit’s product management and marketing departments, focusing on driving growth in key segments like wall-hung sanitaryware and shower toilets. She aims to leverage Geberit’s reputation for innovation and quality to further strengthen its market position. “I’ve always admired Geberit as a best-in-class manufacturer,” said Lillis. “I’m excited to join such an innovative company and look forward to enhancing our product offerings and marketing strategies to deliver even more value to our customers.” Lillis’s background as both a supplier and customer in the bathroom industry gives her unique insights that will benefit Geberit’s relationships with distributors, installers, and end users. Her commercial acumen and results-driven approach align well with Geberit’s focus on growth and market leadership. “We’re thrilled to welcome Danielle to the Geberit team,” said Mark Larden, Managing Director of Geberit UK. “Her extensive experience and customer-centric perspective will be invaluable as we continue to develop premium products and services for the UK market.” Lillis took up her new role in August 2024. She will be based at Geberit’s UK headquarters in Warwick. For more information visit: www.geberit.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Fife College has this week welcomed a record intake of 350 first-year Modern Apprentices through its doors. Apprentices from Engineering, Construction, Automotive, Plumbing, Gas Engineering and Life Sciences have all started their apprentice journey across the College’s Rosyth, Dunfermline and Glenrothes campuses. This year’s record intake also includes, for the second year running, a record number of Engineering Modern Apprentices. 160 aspiring engineers from across the region have started Engineering Modern Apprenticeships, up from 133 last year (2023/24). As the third-largest engineering Modern Apprenticeship provider in the country, the College has worked with 43 employers to provide more opportunities than ever before for local engineers to earn while they learn. Skills Development Scotland announced Modern Apprenticeship numbers for the 2024/25 earlier this year with 438 places awarded to Fife College, the third highest number of all colleges in Scotland. The College runs one of the most substantial MA programmes in Scotland with a funding contribution of just under £2 million from this year’s contract set to support more local employers in developing their workforces. Miles Lagan, Head of Business Development at Fife College, said: “We would like to thank all of our employers for supporting our successful modern apprenticeship programme and wish all our new apprentices the best for the future as they begin their new career journey at Fife College.” “By partnering with over 189 employers, we’re not just increasing numbers but enhancing the quality and relevance of the training our apprentices receive. This ensures that local people are well-prepared to enter the workforce with skills that are in demand, contributing to the growth of our regional economy. “As technology continues to evolve rapidly, the need for innovative engineering solutions across industries has never been greater. Fife College is fully aware of this growing demand and is dedicated to shaping the next generation of engineering talent, ensuring they are equipped to meet these challenges head-on. “We are therefore also thrilled to provide more Modern Apprenticeship opportunities than ever for aspiring local engineers to gain the skills and experience they need for a successful career in the engineering sector.” Babcock, a key employer partner of the College, will take on 400 apprentices over the next four years, with Fife College supporting 48 Babcock apprentices as part of this year’s intake. Paul Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer of Babcock – Marine, said: “We’re delighted to work alongside Fife College and other partners as we welcome new apprentices to our advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding facility in Rosyth. Our new cohort will support the delivery of world-class programmes and underlines our commitment to investing in the skills required to support our customers both now and in the future.” News of Fife College welcoming a record number of Engineering Modern Apprenticeship new starts follows recent success at the Scottish Engineering Modern Apprentice Awards where Fife College trained six out of fourteen nominated apprentices. Notably, one of these apprentices achieved first place and another secured second place, an accomplishment which highlights the exceptional quality of the engineering programmes on offer at the College and the commitment of students and staff. Fife College Roofing Apprentice Leah Stewart was also recently named by BMI Redland Apprentice of the Year, becoming the first female from Scotland to win the UK-wide honour. Leah’s success followed Advanced Craft apprentice Jemma Greig who became the first Fife College student to win first place at The Scottish Association of Painting Craft Teachers (SAPCT) Annual Craft and Advanced Craft competition. Jemma won the top prize in the Advanced Craft section, becoming both the first Fife College student and the first female to receive this honour since the competition began. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Celebrations are underway at the GSSArchitecture Newcastle Studio, as Dan Jones has been promoted to Associate. Dan joined GSS in 2022 as a Senior Architect and has since overseen the delivery of numerous projects, including the retrofit and upgrade of the Grade II listed King George VI Building for Newcastle University, and several refurbishment projects for the Inn Collection Group up and down the country. Over the past two years, Dan has built upon his considerable experience and portfolio within the region and beyond, contributing significantly to heritage assets within the Durham peninsula for Durham University and offering conservation support to the wider team. With over 11 years of experience in the construction industry, Dan leads on complex and interesting projects across the North East and is starting to cover a more national heritage and conservation role within the practice. He takes a special interest in this sector and has recently submitted his portfolio to become an AABC accredited Conservation Architect, aiming to lead more actively on GSS’s heritage and conservation offerings to support our clients. As Associate, Dan will continue to take the lead on projects across the region, contribute to business development to drive continuous improvement, and mentor other team members. Dan comments, “I am thrilled to step into this new role, especially as it allows me to further expand our heritage and conservation portfolio on a national scale. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with our talented team to deliver exceptional projects and to contribute to the ongoing success of GSSArchitecture.” Simon Rennison-Rae, Partner at GSS and Newcastle Studio lead, said, “It’s fantastic to recognise Dan’s growth within the team, his depth of knowledge, the way he collaborates with clients and his role within our Newcastle studio has gone from strength to strength also allowing those around him to develop with his support. Dan will continue to assist our national practice as well as strengthening the opportunities and client focus in the North East as we continue to grow in the region – well done Dan!” GSS have an impressive history within the UK and have always invested in their team members. As an Investors in People Gold Accredited practice, GSS have a track-record of ensuring they have great designers and professionals in the construction industry to allow them to provide a fantastic service to their clients in the North East and across the country. To find out more about GSSArchitecture, their extensive range of projects in the North East and across the country, or to find out about career opportunities, please visit www.gssarchitecture.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
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
