We take our weekly look at appointments and promotions across the housebuilding industry and its supply chain.
David Ronson, Bentry Capital
Investor-developer Bentry Capital has appointed David Ronson as the new national sales & marketing director, as the group expands their diverse residential portfolio across London and the North of England.
Ronson (pictured right) brings over 15 years’ experience in London’s residential property market. Previous roles include sales & marketing director at Avanton, where he led the successful sell-out of the flagship tower Coda in Battersea and the off-plan international and domestic launch of the developer’s Ruby Triangle masterplan on Old Kent Road. Prior to this, at Savills, Ronson provided consultancy to developers across London. His experience also includes working as a site sales manager for CBRE and completions manager at Heron International.
Ronson is joined in his new role by Francesca Davies (pictured left) as the new sales & marketing associate. She has worked alongside Ronson for many years, including at Avanton.
Ronson said: “Bentry Capital is delivering high-quality, design-led homes and it is a fantastic time to be joining the team to help enhance their offering nationwide.”
Shaun Holdcroft, L&G Affordable Homes
L&G has announced the appointment of Shaun Holdcroft as head of affordable homes, leading the operational direction of L&G’s Affordable Housing business.
Holdcroft said: “I am delighted to be taking on the leadership of our Affordable Homes business. Having helped at every stage to create the business we are today; I have a deep understanding of the impact we make in the lives of our customers. I’m committed to building on that success through delivering and responsibly managing more affordable homes across the UK.”
His predecessor, Ben Denton has been appointed as head of strategic growth (affordable housing) within L&G’s Asset Management division.
Dan Batterton, head of housing (UK), L&G, said: “L&G’s Affordable Homes business has developed from a start-up into a market leader within the sector, and these changes reflect a natural evolution in its journey as we scale-up investment into our housing platforms. I look forward to continuing working closely with Shaun and Ben in this next chapter for the business.”
Two appointments, Sphere Group
Sphere Group has made two new appointments, with former professional cricketer Stuart Eustace joining as development director and Raiany Rodrigues and its new assistant development manager.
Eustace (pictured left) has provided consultancy advice on some of the largest mixed-use development projects in Birmingham. He has also acted on £1bn of investment transactions in the Build to Rent space across key UK regional centres. He has since gained a wealth of property experience across multiple disciplines working for Argent, Knight Frank and CBRE.
Rodrigues (pictured right) has recently achieved a master’s degree in architecture and will assist in the day-to-day delivery of projects, from design stage feasibility, site surveys, investigations and planning, though to monitoring and reporting on contractor progress on site.
The pair join the company’s new non-executive director and board member, Rob Bould, who was announced as part of its recent rebrand from Court Collaboration.
Alex Neale, CEO of Sphere Group, remarked: “It’s an exciting time for the business and we’ve got some real talent on our hands with our new team members.”
Ant Allen, TALO
Timber offsite housing specialist TALO has announced the appointment of Ant Allen CEng MIStructE as technical director.
It is the latest step in a 40-year career in construction and specialist expertise in MMC, structural engineering and structural warranty certification. A chartered structural engineer, he has been a member of the Engineering Council and Institution of Structural Engineers for over 30 years.
His experience across both public and private sectors spans new build housing, refurbishment, commercial and leisure developments, and around two decades specialising in MMC. Most recently, Allen played a pivotal role at ICW Group, the UK’s third-largest structural warranty provider, where he led the development of ICW’s MMC accreditation process.
Allen said: “TALO has a trailblazing approach that combines superior quality, thermal efficiency and consistency of manufacture from start to finish. The management team has a refreshing, open-minded approach and an impressive drive to raise standards for low-rise housing through innovation.”
Brian Dowling, Gateley Legal
Gateley Legal has expanded its specialist residential development team with the appointment of a new partner, Brian Dowling (pictured left).
He has previously held roles with Boyes Turner, Irwin Mitchell and Berwin Leighton Paisner, spending the last 18 years advising on residential development and regeneration matters, specialising in complex schemes involving the public and third sector. As well as housebuilders and developers, he also has extensive experience acting for registered providers, councils and national regeneration bodies.
Dowling said: “It is truly exciting to join such a strong national residential development team at a time where the demand for new housing has never been greater.”
Andy Wilson (pictured right), partner and national head of the residential development team at Gateley Legal, said: “Brian brings a wealth of valuable experience to the team and it’s great to have him onboard as we continue to service some of the biggest names in housebuilding, as well as developers and land promoters, on immediate and strategic land, large-scale regeneration, urban redevelopment and private rented sector schemes including Build to Rent.”
Dan Lohn, LendInvest Capital
LendInvest Capital has announced the hiring of Dan Lohn as relationship manager.
He brings with him over a decade of experience as a development lender and a property developer, and will be an addition to the company’s property development team, helmed by industry veteran Steve Larkin.
Lohn said: “After knowing Steve and his history in the industry, when he mentioned to me that there might be an upcoming opportunity at LendInvest, I was naturally intrigued. After meeting the rest of the team and learning more about their goals and funding pipeline, it was an easy decision.”
Larkin added: “As more investors look to development finance as an opportunity amidst the undersupply of new home construction, it’s an exciting time for the industry in England, Scotland and Wales. Dan brings with him deep market knowledge as a lender as well as a developer; his insights and ambition will help support our SME developers as they navigate a dynamic market.”
