We take our weekly look at appointments and promotions across the housebuilding industry and its supply chain.
Four appointments, Muse
Muse has continued its expansion in the Midlands with four new appointments.
Glyn Mutton (pictured) has taken the role of development director, having previously worked for Hill Group and London Land Group. Richard McMullen, senior project manager, joins from Urban & Civic and Alex D’Angelillo, finance business partner, was formerly at Mercia Real Estate. Helen Spicer joins as a personal assistant from Woodbourne Group.
Maggie Grogan, managing director – Midlands, at Muse, said: “We are full of confidence about the future of the Midlands, as a place to invest and grow. By working together with local authorities and other regional partners, we’ve made real and tangible progress in Solihull, Wolverhampton, and West Northamptonshire.
“The expansion of our team reflects our achievements, but also the scale of future opportunity we see coming forward across the region – including in the East Midlands. We are supported by a positive and proactive public sector which wants to make things happen.”
Mark Collins, Echlin
Mark Collins has joined architectural design studio and residential developer Echlin as non-executive director.
He brings to the role over three decades of expertise in the UK residential property market, most notably from his tenure as chairman of Residential at CBRE, where he played a pivotal role in advising developers, investors and landowners on many of the capital’s landmark residential schemes. He brings a wealth of experience working across the Middle East and other international markets.
Echlin co-founder Mark O’Callaghan said: “Mark’s exceptional experience, market insight, and industry reputation are incredibly valuable as we scale our vision for curated, design-first residential developments and private homes. His strategic counsel will help guide the company’s growth and deepen our relationships with investors and stakeholders across the sector.”
Collins added: “I’m delighted to be joining the team at such a pivotal moment in their evolution.”
Eoghainn Mitchell, Kirkwood Timber Frame
Kirkwood Timber Frame has strengthened its team with the appointment of Eoghainn Mitchell as its new head of sales for Scotland and England.
He brings with him over a decade of experience in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) sales, and building development, most recently working for one of the country’s largest timber frame manufacturers.
Mitchell said: “What attracted me to apply to Kirkwood Timber Frame was its varying customer base and its client-centred approach. I’m keen to build on our long-established reputation within the Scottish timber frame market and further develop Kirkwood’s presence in Northern England. I hope to also play a part in raising awareness and educating industry professionals on the economic and environmental benefits Timber Frame and Modern Methods of Construction can deliver, in a market hamstrung by a lack of skilled labour.”
Barbara Massie, business development director at Kirkwood Timber Frame, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Eoghainn to the team.”
Mathew Fraser-Brown, Persimmon Homes
Persimmon Homes has announced a new construction chief for its East Wales business.
Mathew Fraser-Brown takes the reins at the Llantrisant-based company after two-and-a-half years in the same role at Bellway Homes South West. Prior to this, he worked at David Wilson Homes South West.
Commenting on his appointment, Fraser-Brown said: “I am really pleased to have joined Persimmon and am already enjoying the role. I hope to be able to put my experience in the construction industry to good use as we bring hundreds of new homes each year to communities that need them across East Wales.”
Persimmon Homes East Wales MD Lee Hawker added: “With his years of experience in the industry, I’m delighted that we’ve secured Mathew as our new construction director at Persimmon in East Wales. We have many outstanding sites across the region with a number of new developments forthcoming, so Mathew’s appointment will help us to deliver on the business’ priorities and build more homes for local families across East Wales.”
Multiple appointments, Designer Contracts
Designer Contracts has announced two senior promotions along with a raft of new appointments and further promotions among its 300-strong workforce.
Lee Hassett (pictured right), who joined as a project executive seven years ago, has been promoted from divisional director to group operations director. He started at the company as a project executive seven years ago having previously held managerial roles with Carpetright, Trent Carpets and Paul Eyre Group.
The new divisional director is Neil Lloyd (picture left), who has worked with the company for nearly nine years, rising from customer service manager to area manager and regional manager for the South Midlands area.
Further promotions announced are: Craig Wilson as senior contracts manager in Yorkshire; Craig Pearcey as area manager for Thames Medway; and Stephen Miles as senior contracts manager.
New starts are: Rick Morley as sales manager for the West Midlands; Rob Newbury as senior contracts manager for the Wales and West region; Catherine Baldwin as sales consultant for East Anglia; and Gary Chimwa as sales manager for the South East region.
Jennet Siebrits, Ringley Group
Ringley Group has appointed respected economist Jennet Siebrits as its new head of research.
She joins after two decades at CBRE, where she established and led the residential research team for 15 years before becoming head of UK research, a role she held for the past five years. An experienced housing market economist, she has also held positions at the Council of Mortgage Lenders and Nationwide Building Society.
Richard Williams, CEO of Ringley Group, said: “Jen is a truly world-class economist and research leader, with a reputation for producing market-leading insights and trends that can materially shape how our clients operate their businesses.”
Siebrits commented: “I’m excited to join Ringley to lead its research team. The business has built up an impressive client base and rich dataset over the past quarter of a century – and there is a tremendous opportunity to combine this proprietary data with wider macro trends to generate new insights that will deliver real value for clients.”
Paul Clark, Amro Partners
Amro Partners has appointed Paul Clark as a senior adviser.
Clark is a career investor within the global real estate sector, with a stellar track record spanning almost 40 years and deep insight into the mindset of top tier institutional investors. He was most recently head of real assets Europe at AustraliaSuper, where he oversaw landmark transactions including a 50:50 joint venture with British Land to deliver the £3.5bn Canada Water regeneration project and stewardship of the fund’s flagship investment in King’s Cross.
Prior to joining AustralianSuper in 2020, he spent 13 years as chief investment officer at The Crown Estate, where he played a central role in repositioning the organisation and delivering long-term sustainable growth.
Clark commented: “I am delighted to be working with a highly professional and ambitious business like Amro. I have been impressed by the quality of their team and am looking forward to contributing to their growth in the future.”
Two appointments, Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield has appointed residential valuation specialists Paul Winstanley (pictured right) and Beth Hill (pictured left) as partners within its living business. Both have joined from JLL and will be based at offices in Leeds and London.
Winstanley has spent the last seven years working in senior roles at JLL in the UK and New Zealand, most recently as head of residential strategic advisory UK. Prior to that, he was a partner at Allsop LLP for nine years in the residential valuation team. Hill worked alongside Winstanley at JLL, where she was most recently a director in the residential strategic advisory team, and previously in the residential valuation team at Allsop LLP.
They both provide strategic advice on residential investment portfolios to institutional investors and private clients, including Build to Rent, the private rented sector (PRS), HMOs, ground rents, equity release, Shared Ownership, and affordable housing.
Jonathan Stickells, UK specialist markets valuation & advisory lead at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “They will be a superb addition to our talented team.”
Joe Mellings, Lloyds
Lloyds has appointed Joe Mellings as its new head of real estate coverage, dividing his time between London and Birmingham, reporting to managing director, global head of real estate and housing, Jess Tomlinson.
He brings with him over 15 years of experience in corporate banking, having most recently held senior roles at Barclays across real estate, mid-market, leveraged finance and large-cap corporate segments in both the UK and Ireland.
Mellings said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Lloyds at a time of great momentum in its real estate strategy. The opportunity to lead a talented team and work closely with the experts across Lloyds to deliver innovative, purpose-driven solutions for clients is incredibly exciting. I look forward to helping shape the next chapter of growth and impact across the sector.”
Tomlinson added: “Joe’s appointment is a positive moment. His sector expertise and leadership will help us as we evolve our coverage model and deliver more for our clients.”
Two appointments, Hollis
Hollis has announced the appointment of two new directors to its Birmingham office.
Darren Quincey (pictured left) arrives with over 30 years of experience in the construction and property sector. A qualified project manager and quantity surveyor, he brings a wealth of expertise across education, logistics, commercial, and accommodation sectors, achieving practical understanding of client expectations and project delivery on schemes ranging from £10,000 to over £3bn.
Gary Williamson (pictured right) is a highly experienced building surveyor who has spent nearly three decades in the industry working across virtually every asset type and has led multiple successful teams. Previous projects include the 814-bed Crown Place PBSA development in Birmingham.
Midlands regional MD Chris Sullivan commented on the two new team members: “Darren and Gary bring a wealth of experience and complementary skills that will strengthen our offering across the region. Their appointments reflect our confidence in the Midlands market and our commitment to investing in senior talent to drive further growth.”
