Prologis UK has appointed two new customer-facing staff to focus on maintaining and developing customer relationships as demand for logistics property continues to grow. Will Cassar and Milena Blair will be drawing on their experience in the property and logistics sector to support customers in securing logistics facilities in the
Bellway South Midlands has appointed a new land manager as part of an ambitious growth plan across the region. Christy McLean has joined the housebuilder, which has its regional headquarters in Coventry, as the division sets its sights on increasing the number of houses it builds every year from 352
Abode, award-winning designer and distributor of market leading kitchen taps, sinks, bathroom taps & showering solutions is delighted to welcome Frank Cassidy, newly appointed Project Engineer within its Design & Quality Department to support and manage a wide range of exciting projects and development opportunities currently ongoing, planned-in or new
Stephen Davies has been promoted to Operations Director for Wales at Bouygues UK. Stephen joined Bouygues UK as Technical Director in 2018 having previously enjoyed over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry working in the UK, Canada and the UAE in various technical, operational and leadership roles. During his
Multi award winning developer Shanly Homes welcomes Christie Alaimo as Sales & Marketing Director to its Thames Valley region. Covering a variety of new homes schemes across North London, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, Christie will be responsible for driving the region forward and continuing the growth of the company. “I was
For the second year in a row, Balfour Beatty has bolstered its commitment to young people, publicly declaring its intention to increase the number of Apprentices, Graduates and Trainees by c. 60% when compared to its 2021 intake. Today’s commitment will see nearly 600 new positions, on top of the
Two construction firms have been ‘highly commended’ at the National Apprenticeship Awards 2021. Essex based Higgins Partnerships, and McCarrick Construction from County Durham received the award in the SME Employer of the Year category, sponsored by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and RITTech. The overall winner was Birmingham based Lander Automotive, which manufactures products mainly
There’s no getting away from the fact that demolition projects can be disruptive – but that doesn’t mean the industry can’t offer a wide variety of benefits for local communities. Of course, nobody working in the demolition industry needs to be persuaded of the long-term advantages we bring to local
Two sales executives have recently been promoted within Harron Homes. Rebecca Nixon from Doncaster, and Ellie Wyles from Huddersfield, are now senior sales executives at Harron’s North Yorkshire developments, Bishop’s Glade and Hockley Croft respectively. After just four months with Harron, 24-year-old Rebecca was put forward for promotion by Senior
Leading property developer and investor, Scarborough Group International (SGI) has announced the promotion of Adam Varley to the role of Development Director to help accelerate the Group’s ambitious growth strategy. Adam joined SGI in February 2020 as Commercial Director and has achieved a number of significant milestones in little over
Prologis UK has appointed two new customer-facing staff to focus on maintaining and developing customer relationships as demand for logistics property continues to grow. Will Cassar and Milena Blair will be drawing on their experience in the property and logistics sector to support customers in securing logistics facilities in the locations they need and ensuring their transition to a new property is as seamless and hassle-free as possible. They will be working with a variety of customers, large and small, including many household names such as Royal Mail, boohoo, Dunelm, Eddie Stobart and Tesco. Both Will and Milena will be responsible for working closely with customers at all 22 Prologis Parks in the UK to deliver successful outcomes, help navigate market conditions, solve problems and provide flexibility, and support for bids and pitches. They will also be responsible for engaging with customers around initiatives such as PARKLife, training programmes and green transport schemes. Will Cassar is joining Prologis’ Capital Deployment team and will focus on helping to grow the company’s Customer Led Development business. In his previous role at CBRE he acted for some existing Prologis’ customers, such as Dunelm, and also has experience of working with real estate teams at Geodis, LG Electronics, General Electric, and leading online retailers. Phil Oakley, vice president, Customer Led Development at Prologis UK, said: “Will brings a great deal of experience to support us in expanding our Customer Led Development business across the UK. Having worked with Prologis and some our customers previously, he has first-hand knowledge of our high standards when building and maintaining customer relationships. I look forward to working with Will and I am convinced that he will be an asset to the UK team and the wider business.” Formerly at ADP, Milena Blair joined Prologis in November 2021 as of Real Estate and Customer Experience manager for London and the Southeast. Her role focuses on developing and strengthening customer relationships within the region, the development of Prologis Essentials business lines, and helping to build the PARKLife experience for the benefit of customers in the region. She has a particular focus on community outreach, social responsibility and sustainability. Stuart Davies, real estate and customer experience lead at Prologis UK, said: “Milena is an important addition to our team, and she brings a wealth of experience in areas such as client management, customer care and supporting the introduction of new business lines. These attributes are already proving to be important assets and we are delighted to have Milena onboard.”
Bellway South Midlands has appointed a new land manager as part of an ambitious growth plan across the region. Christy McLean has joined the housebuilder, which has its regional headquarters in Coventry, as the division sets its sights on increasing the number of houses it builds every year from 352 to 500. The division is looking for land opportunities throughout Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and West Northamptonshire as it seeks to expand its housebuilding operations. “I am delighted to be joining Bellway which has an enviable reputation as a national housebuilder of high-quality new homes. These are exciting times as the industry, and the country as a whole, starts to bounce back from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Christy, 27, from Solihull. “But these times are particularly exciting at Bellway South Midlands because the division has recently moved to new offices in Coventry and has assembled a new land team to help achieve its growth targets. I have just joined the team while the Land Director Dan Forrester has only been in his role for a while and land graduate Alice Fish has also recently been appointed. “The aim is to expand our operations so that we are increasing the number of houses we build from 352 last year to 500 a year within the next few years. That is an increase of 42 per cent which represents an ambitious target and a real challenge for us as a team.” Christy, who was formerly a land manager at another housebuilder, is looking forward to his new role which will include sourcing land, conducting land appraisals, negotiating land deals and using his knowledge and skills to secure new sites for development. “I spotted the job advert on LinkedIn and thought it was time for me to take a step up in my career,” added Christy. “The first challenge was to get the job which I did and now the next target is to help the land team at Bellway South Midlands grow and hit its annual build numbers.” Bellway South Midlands is currently building new homes at nine sites in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Northamptonshire.
Abode, award-winning designer and distributor of market leading kitchen taps, sinks, bathroom taps & showering solutions is delighted to welcome Frank Cassidy, newly appointed Project Engineer within its Design & Quality Department to support and manage a wide range of exciting projects and development opportunities currently ongoing, planned-in or new to both brand and business. “I have always been resolved to improving and refining processes to create the best possible, quality products for the end user and so it was an easy decision for me to accept the offer to join Abode. The in-house product design and development team, which is based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire is renowned for its industry-wide commitment to delivering market leading products – year in, year out. I am therefore eager to make an impression and be at the forefront of brand development alongside some of the company’s best award-winning designers,” commented Frank Cassidy, newly appointed Project Engineer at Abode. Frank’s new role will largely impact future growth as Abode enters a new phase of business evolution in 2022 with a series of product innovations and new commercial prospects to be unveiled next year. His previous role as Quality, Technical & Maintenance Manager for a leading kitchen manufacturer saw him responsible for tooling development and process improvements, which will be put to good use given the level of excellence and ingenuity on offer at Abode. “We are thrilled to welcome Frank to the Adobe family and are keen to harness his extensive industry experience to focus on generating new market potential for our portfolio of products. With over 34 years’ experience and extensive technical knowledge, his addition will be a genuine advantage to us as we continue to develop the Abode brand over future years,” said Matthew Pitt, Managing Director at Abode. “Frank is so tuned in to our company values and for us, tap and sink design is not just about problem solving, it’s a real skill. Our mission has always been to deliver the right mix of aspirational design, quality, performance and product evaluation and I am confident Frank will help strengthen our position market-wide,” added Paul Illingworth, Design Manager at Abode.
Stephen Davies has been promoted to Operations Director for Wales at Bouygues UK. Stephen joined Bouygues UK as Technical Director in 2018 having previously enjoyed over 30 years’ experience in the construction industry working in the UK, Canada and the UAE in various technical, operational and leadership roles. During his varied career he has delivered major and multi-disciplined projects including GCHQ headquarters in Cheltenham, Southmead General Hospital in Bristol, Dubai Festival City and the first phase of the Battersea Power Station residential development in London. Most recently, Stephen has supported the Bouygues UK project team in delivering Cardiff Innovation Centre for Cardiff University and helped secure Bouygues UK’s flagship project in Swansea – 71/72 The Kingsway. A Cardiff native, Stephen now lives in Ogmore by Sea with his young family and is particularly keen on promoting sustainability and best practice within the construction industry. He has played a key role in developing Bouygues UK’s climate change policy, which has ambitious targets for the company to be operationally net zero by 2030, both internally and on site. Stephen said of his promotion: “I am thrilled to be promoted to Operations Director for Wales and look forward to working with our wonderful teams to promote business improvement and deliver fully-integrated solutions that serve to underpin the success of our projects and promote our reputation within Wales. I originally joined Bouygues UK because of its great reputation and ambition to improve and deliver quality projects for its clients. “Bouygues UK is very highly regarded in Wales, particularly for its education projects, such as Cardiff Innovation Campus and Pencoedtre High School. I’m looking forward to building on this even further.” Rob Bradley, CEO of Bouygues UK, said of Steve’s appointment: “Stephen is a much-valued member of the Bouygues UK team, and this promotion is testament to his brilliant work and leadership. He has a wealth of experience in the construction industry. I look forward to working even closer with him in his new role to further ensure Bouygues UK’s continued success.”
Multi award winning developer Shanly Homes welcomes Christie Alaimo as Sales & Marketing Director to its Thames Valley region. Covering a variety of new homes schemes across North London, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, Christie will be responsible for driving the region forward and continuing the growth of the company. “I was drawn to Shanly Homes as an admired privately-owned business in the South East. I welcome the fresh approach Shanly takes to housebuilding and the family values of the business align with my own personal standards. The quality of properties that Shanly build is second to none, and I’m really looking forward to getting involved in an exciting array of developments – both current and upcoming – and working alongside the sales and construction teams across the Thames Valley region,” commented Christie Alaimo, Sales & Marketing Director at Shanly Homes. Bringing 20 years’ experience in the residential property sector, Christie joins as Sales and Marketing Director following seven years at Kent-based Hodson Developments. Prior to this, Christie undertook several directorial roles at Linden Homes, L&Q and Redrow Homes, gaining skills in strategic and business planning alongside operations management. “I’m thrilled that Christie has joined our Thames Valley team. She comes to us with an extensive background in property and I don’t doubt she is going to bring fresh ideas and plenty of experience that will contribute greatly to the performance and future of the company, specifically in the Thames Valley region,” said Managing Director for Shanly Homes, Tim Nutt. Shanly Homes is currently delivering a selection of exciting schemes which include 182 homes at Waterside Quarter in Maidenhead, 20 contemporary apartments at Hillgrove House in Edgware and nine luxury apartments at Uplands Park Place in Enfield. Upcoming developments in 2022 include 93 homes at Little Green in Aston Clinton and a selection of houses and apartments at Lightfield in Barnet. The award-winning brand is renowned across the South East as they create sustainable, architecturally innovative homes which are designed to complement the local environment.
For the second year in a row, Balfour Beatty has bolstered its commitment to young people, publicly declaring its intention to increase the number of Apprentices, Graduates and Trainees by c. 60% when compared to its 2021 intake. Today’s commitment will see nearly 600 new positions, on top of the 700 currently employed, made available to young people across its projects in the UK, doubling down on the company’s public declaration last year where it pledged to increase its intake of Apprentices, Graduates and Trainees by c. 30%. Balfour Beatty has long been at the forefront of the skills revolution, having joined The 5% Club in 2013, and exceeding its charter promise to dedicate 5% of its employee numbers to ‘earn & learn’ positions, since 2017. Today’s strengthened commitment represents another important stride in tackling the construction and infrastructure industry’s significant skills shortage. With 6% of its workforce in ‘Earn & Learn’ roles today, the company has been recognised by The 5% Club for its integral work in this area, securing a Club Gold Award through its Employer Audit Scheme which validates members’ activities, explores their future plans and commitments, and examines their approach to quality, social mobility and diversity and inclusion. Nadhim Zahawi, Secretary of State for Education, said, “As Education Secretary, I’m delighted to see Balfour Beatty doubling down on its commitment to hiring apprentices, graduates and trainees. “Schools, skills and families are at the forefront of my mission as Secretary of State, and Balfour Beatty are at the heart of the skills revolution that is transforming the futures of young people across the country and boosting our economy. “Their commitment to upskilling the next generation is to be commended, and I wish all the best to those taking part in the schemes.” Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive and Founder of The 5% Club said, “At Balfour Beatty, we want to attract the next generation of talent – we want to inspire and educate people to consider the construction and infrastructure industry as an attractive long term career choice. “This latest commitment to an increase in our emerging talent is testament to how we go above and beyond, on a daily basis, to provide young people with the skills and experience they need to build strong, future careers. Careers that will enable us to continue to deliver vital national infrastructure, shape skylines, build communities and truly make a difference.” Commenting on The 5% Club’s Employer Audit Scheme, Mark Cameron OBE, Chief Executive at The 5% Club said, “We set out to create a scheme that recognises the efforts of all those Employers who invest in their workforce through a broad range of workplace learning schemes. “It is fantastic that in these challenging times so many are able to commit to the Employer Audit and to gain the credit for their efforts, and that the majority are striving to expand their schemes over the coming years. Their efforts and achievements are to be applauded.” To find out more about the opportunities on offer at Balfour Beatty for Apprentices, Graduates and Trainees, click here.
Two construction firms have been ‘highly commended’ at the National Apprenticeship Awards 2021. Essex based Higgins Partnerships, and McCarrick Construction from County Durham received the award in the SME Employer of the Year category, sponsored by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and RITTech. The overall winner was Birmingham based Lander Automotive, which manufactures products mainly for the automotive sector. Lucy Ireland, Managing Director at BCS Learning and Development, presented the awards and said: ‘Congratulations to all who underwent the rigorous judging process for this category. The finalists are fantastic examples of firms that run exemplary apprenticeship schemes for their staff.’ Strictly Come Dancing and BBC star Dan Walker returned to host the Awards for a second year. For the first time ever, the event was both in person and live streamed. Finalists, sponsors, the Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and Minister for Skills Alex Burghart attended the event at a central London venue. It was also available online with family, friends and supporters from across the apprenticeship community able to join in the celebrations from home. Apprenticeships ‘leading the way’ The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP gave the keynote speech and said: ‘Apprenticeships are the living proof about what’s best in our education system. We are entering a new era of the skills economy, which is something that this government regards as an absolute priority. ‘I want to congratulate everyone for being the best of the best. These awards fill me with confidence and optimism for the future. There is even more to come, and apprenticeships are leading the way.’ The award sponsor, BCS, carries out the final check – called the end-point assessment – where a digital apprentice demonstrates they are thoroughly trained and competent. Around 13,000 digital apprentices have completed this process through BCS so far. Annette Allmark, Head of Apprenticeships at BCS, said: ‘These awards are a fantastic way to celebrate apprenticeships and promote the opportunities they present to both individuals and employers. With recognised skills shortages in many areas, including IT and digital skills, no matter how big or small an organisation is, they can all benefit from talented apprentices.’ The judging panels chose the regional finalists for nine different categories during November, including Apprentice of the Year. Other sponsors of the National Apprenticeship Awards 2021 include the Army and the Royal Navy, Lloyds Banking Group and BT.
There’s no getting away from the fact that demolition projects can be disruptive – but that doesn’t mean the industry can’t offer a wide variety of benefits for local communities. Of course, nobody working in the demolition industry needs to be persuaded of the long-term advantages we bring to local areas. Demolition projects are often a vital part of urban renewal plans, for example, clearing the way for the regenerative benefits of a revitalised environment. McKinsey has highlighted the urgency surrounding urban transformation brought on by the pandemic. Its report on the Bloomberg New Economy Forum notes that while cities still have a prominent part to play in our lives, we need to rethink what city centres look like – for example by making shopping more experiential in a way that can’t be replicated when making an online purchase. While demolition plays a huge and necessary role in that kind of regeneration, it’s completely understandable that local people, facing short-term disruptions to their lives, aren’t always inclined to take a broader, long-term view of the situation. As such, it’s important that the demolition industry takes the initiative to proactively demonstrate and expand upon the ways in which we contribute to the communities we serve. One of the most tangible and immediately impactful ways of doing this is to employ local labour for the various non-permanent roles that each project needs to fill. The community benefits of engaging local labour It goes without saying that providing a source of employment within a given community is going to have positive ramifications. Offering jobs to local people will stimulate the community’s economy and forge closer connections between demolition firms and the people around them – and there’s scope for firms to make a real difference in that arena. Hiring ex-military personnel, for example – as we plan to do on an upcoming project – could have a hugely positive impact on a deserving group. According to pre-pandemic research from Barclays, around 22 per cent of armed forces leavers face employment difficulties. Stepping in to help resolve this issue is completely within the grasp of demolition firms up and down the country. Alternatively, firms might consider employing younger, less experienced people for some of its junior positions. After all, the industry can be highly rewarding, but – beyond childhood images of wrecking balls and explosions – it’s not one that many young people will have considered as a career path. In setting young people’s feet on this path, demolition firms can contribute towards changing the current youth unemployment problem. The House of Lords Youth Unemployment Committee has just recently pointed out that one in eight under 25s are neither working, in education, nor in training – leaving the stage set for the industry to give back to the community in an instantly substantive way. Local councils have recently woken up to benefits like these, with some new projects requiring the employment of local people – ten per cent of the workforce, in some cases – in order to satisfy and discharge planning conditions. But firms are under no obligation to limit themselves to these minimum requirements – especially considering the advantages that local labour can offer demolition projects. Advantages of local labour for demolition firms Beneficial though employing local labour can be for communities, this isn’t just an empty gesture towards CSR. There are, in fact, a wealth of varied advantages for demolition firms which embrace local labour. Taking a broad view, there are wide-ranging implications for the environmental impact of projects which employ local people. With several employees living close to demolition sites, the carbon emissions associated with commuting will be reduced or eliminated altogether. This is of great benefit for firms looking to reduce their carbon footprint – something we should all be looking to embrace. According to the International Energy Agency, road vehicles account for three quarters of all emissions, so taking steps to limit their usage is a fantastically beneficial aspect of local labour. Leaving aside the wider environmental ramifications, local labour can also provide practical, on-the-job advantages to firms prepared to embrace it. Employing local people allows firms to access new pools of talent and different skill sets, which isn’t necessarily possible if firms choose to ferry existing employees to faraway sites on a regular basis. These different skill sets come to the fore when – returning to a previous example – firms hire ex-military personnel. Military veterans are trained to operate in high-risk environments, making them well suited to the demolition industry – and a prime instance of the transferable skills that local labour can offer. Clearly, then, the practice of hiring locally has extensive ramifications – for the environment, for local economies, for local people in need of good employment in a rewarding profession, and for an industry whose long-term efforts to improve local areas can be matched by an immediate and tangible contribution to the communities it serves. Written for BDC Magazine by Ben Griffiths, SHE and Operations Director, Rye Group
Two sales executives have recently been promoted within Harron Homes. Rebecca Nixon from Doncaster, and Ellie Wyles from Huddersfield, are now senior sales executives at Harron’s North Yorkshire developments, Bishop’s Glade and Hockley Croft respectively. After just four months with Harron, 24-year-old Rebecca was put forward for promotion by Senior Sales Manager Vicki Armitage, who recognised Rebecca’s enthusiasm and skill in the position. Rebecca said: “I’m always striving to reach the next level, and am delighted to be progressing so quickly within the company. I’ll be aiming for sales manager next!” 23-year-old Ellie has also been progressing rapidly with Harron. She joined as a trainee sales executive in February 2019 and became responsible for her own development as a full time sales executive by May 2019. Upon returning to work part time after maternity leave, Ellie was looking for a new challenge and jumped at the chance to apply for a senior sales executive role. “I spoke to my line manager who encouraged me to apply, and since getting the job I’ve been so supported by the whole management team. They’ve made sure there’s enough colleagues on my site to allow me time to focus on my new duties, and they are always just on the other end of the phone if we need anything,” Ellie said. Both Ellie and Rebecca had prior sales experience; Ellie for companies including Cath Kidson and TUI, and Rebecca for Beal Homes. Harron originally appealed to them for its unique offering in the market. “I visited a showhome and became obsessed. I loved that it’s a premium product from a traditional builder” Rebecca said. “Now I love the team, being part of a close-knit group where everyone looks out for each other is fantastic.” Ellie agreed, “I immediately bought into the ethos of Harron as a traditional builder delivering a quality product. Our homes are so different from a lot of the market; they include lots of extra details and luxuries that I would love to have in my own home! “We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring the room sizes in all our house types are large enough for people to grow into and allow them to create the lifestyle they are looking for. It’s great to be involved with such an aspirational product and to help people find and move into their dream home.”
Leading property developer and investor, Scarborough Group International (SGI) has announced the promotion of Adam Varley to the role of Development Director to help accelerate the Group’s ambitious growth strategy. Adam joined SGI in February 2020 as Commercial Director and has achieved a number of significant milestones in little over 18 months, including concluding the lease negotiations for Yorkshire’s largest ever out of town pre-let to Lowell at Thorpe Park Leeds, letting the remaining space at Lumina, a speculative grade A office building also located at Thorpe Park Leeds, as well as launching the fourth and final building at the iconic Digital Campus scheme in Sheffield. He has also been heavily involved in the master-planning of the next phase of development at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. In his new role, Adam will be responsible for the appraisal, delivery and asset management of the Group’s commercial development projects across the Northern Powerhouse, working alongside Group Director’s Mark Jackson and Paul Kelly. SGI’s flagship schemes include the next phase of Thorpe Park Leeds – a mixed-use community of 3.25m sq ft comprising high-quality business space, industrial and logistics space, retail, leisure and new homes – and Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park; a sports, health and wellbeing-focused Life Sciences Park where it is embarking on a first phase of 850,000 sq ft in partnership with Sheffield City Council. Commenting on his promotion, Adam said: “I feel honoured to be taking on the role of Development Director after only a relatively short time with Scarborough Group International and am looking forward to working closely with Mark, Paul and colleagues to take the Group’s development portfolio forward.” Simon McCabe, Chief Executive of SGI, added: “Adam is an incredibly talented and motivated individual, and has made a huge impact within the Group since joining. His extensive experience in the commercial property industry, combined with his depth of understanding of occupiers’ needs will be invaluable as we look to accelerate the delivery of our ambitious development pipeline across the north of England.”
