We take our weekly look at appointments and promotions across the housebuilding industry and its supply chain.
Alex Dowling, Dandara
Dandara has appointed Alex Dowling as sales director for its South East division.
With over two decades of experience in the property industry, he brings both strategic insight and on-the-ground knowledge of the new homes market. Since joining Dandara in August, he has led the newly rebuilt South East sales team. Dowling began his career in East London as an estate agent before moving into the new homes sector with positions at St James and FABRICA. He also spent nine years in senior roles at Barratt Homes.
Dowling commented: “For me, this role is about more than hitting sales targets. It’s about building trust with our buyers, delivering consistently high standards, and creating places people genuinely want to live. That’s the challenge, and it’s one I’m excited to take on.”
David Garrett, managing director for Dandara South East, said: “Alex brings a huge amount of energy and clarity to the role. He knows what good looks like – and more importantly, how to deliver it.”
Tony Williamson, Bancon Homes
Bancon Homes has announced the appointment of Tony Williamson as sales director, bringing with him extensive experience in housebuilding, construction, and sales leadership through director roles with several prominent homebuilders across Scotland.
Commenting on his appointment, Williamson said: “I’m delighted to be joining Bancon Homes at such an exciting point in its journey. Bancon has an excellent reputation for building quality homes and creating special new communities, and I’m looking forward to working with a strong and talented team to help shape the next phase of growth. With new developments, new locations, and a refreshed range of homes coming forward, it’s a fantastic time to be part of the business.”
Jamie Tosh, MD of Bancon Homes, said of Williamson: “He brings a wealth of experience, strong commercial insight, and a clear focus on customer experience, which aligns perfectly with our values. We’re delighted to welcome Tony to Bancon Homes and are confident he will play a key role in delivering our strategic ambitions.”
Emily Berville Charlesworth, Persimmon Homes
Persimmon Homes Central has strengthened its top team as Emily Berville Charlesworth (pictured left), who has undertaken the role of head of land for the last 12 months, has been promoted to the position of land director for the region.
She joined Persimmon Homes in 2018 as a graduate planner and since that time has achieved six promotions including to assistant planner, planner, senior planner, land and planning manager, head of land and now land director.
In 2024, Berville Charlesworth won the prestigious award of Young Property Person of the Year at the Midlands Insider Property Awards.
Commenting on her latest promotion, she said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking up the post of land director. I have thoroughly enjoyed the move to land acquisition and I’m excited to play my part in growing the business. I have received some excellent support from our regional managing director in developing into the role and I welcome the trust he has put in me, to take on this new challenge.”
Jacinta Rowsell, Canary Wharf Group
Canary Wharf Group (CWG) has appointed Jacinta Rowsell as managing director of operations, joining the business in late January 2026. She will take over from Phil Tweddle, who retires in March 2026 after nearly 30 years with CWG.
Rowsell joins from Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield where she held the role of managing director, customer and retail operations for Northern Europe. She has a long career at the company having joined Westfield in 2011 and held a variety of finance, operations, asset management and investment roles across retail and residential. Prior to Westfield, she started her career in the Real Estate practice at Ernst and Young.
Rowsell said: “CWG has created an outstanding environment, and I look forward to building on the strong foundations laid by Phil and his team to ensure we continue to offer a best-in-class experience for all who work, visit, and live here.”
Shobi Khan, CEO at Canary Wharf Group, added: “We are delighted to welcome Jacinta to CWG.”
James Oldershaw, Bentry Capital
Bentry Capital has appointed James Oldershaw at the £100million Angel Village scheme in Islington, ahead of the official sales launch this spring.
Oldershaw joins the team from JLL, where he led on Ghelamco’s The HiLight scheme in Battersea; during 2025, he closed over £30million in deals. Prior to JLL, he worked at Foxtons specialising in New Homes and Investments.
Oldershaw will be working directly with national director of sales & marketing, David Ronson, and sales associate, Francesca Davies, both of whom worked alongside him at The HiLight.
Ronson said: “I am delighted that James Oldershaw is joining our team. I was instrumental in James’ hiring in his former role and was impressed with his driven, dynamic sales attitude, so I sought him out to complete the sales team we are building at Bentry Capital.”
Oldershaw added: “Joining Bentry Capital is a fantastic opportunity and I am thrilled to be working alongside David Ronson and Francesca Davies again.”
Chris Pattison, Bidwells
Bidwells has appointed Chris Pattison as its new head of planning, as incumbent Mike Derbyshire takes a step back following more than a decade leading the team.
Pattison joined Bidwells in 2022 following the acquisition of his company Turnberry Planning. Since then, he has played an instrumental role in the Planning team, which has doubled in size since 2022, and has held senior leadership roles across the firm, including as head of Oxford.
Derbyshire will continue to play a leading role within the Planning team, building on a long track record of advising on complex development, infrastructure and growth programmes.
Pattison commented: “I would like to thank Mike for his leadership and support to date, and for everything he has achieved for Bidwells and our Planning team. We will continue to work closely together and it will be business as usual as we grow Bidwells Planning through new services and new markets in 2026.”
Andy Wyles, Lochay Homes
Edinburgh-based Lochay Homes has appointed Andy Wyles as its new non-executive chair.
He joins the housebuilder following a distinguished 23-year career at Bellway, where he held senior leadership roles, including that of Northern regional chair, and led major delivery programmes across the North of England and Scotland.
In welcoming Wyles, Jamie Thomson, director of Lochay Homes, commented: “Andy’s appointment marks the next major step in Lochay Homes’ journey and our long-term growth plans for Scotland. His industry experience, strategic insight and understanding of the Scottish market make him an invaluable addition to our leadership team.”
Wyles said: “One of the biggest strengths Lochay Homes has is its agility. As a smaller, independent, family-run business, Lochay can adapt quickly, respond to local needs and build the kinds of homes people genuinely want and need. There is a real opportunity to continue delivering high-quality, locally informed developments that reflect the needs of communities across Scotland.”
Chris Hewitt, HSPG
Social impact investor HSPG has named Chris Hewitt as its new chief financial officer.
He has joined from L&G Affordable Homes, where he spent over three years as chief investment officer and finance director, collaborating with housebuilders, Homes England, and registered providers nationwide to deliver affordable housing. Hewitt co-founded heylo in 2014, helping it grow into one of the UK’s leading shared ownership providers.
As CFO at HSPG, Chris will oversee funding, financial and investor reporting, and help shape the strategic direction of the social impact business alongside co-founders Guy Horne and David Searle.
Speaking about his decision to join HSPG, Chris said: “I was really energised by what Guy [Horne, co-founder] and Robyn [Lee, managing director] are building. It’s entrepreneurial, fast moving, and full of purpose. It was immediately clear that HSPG is not just investing in property; it’s investing in people, communities, and long-term social change.”
Ben Sanderson, Sentinel Real Estate
Sentinel Real Estate has announced that Ben Sanderson has joined the firm as managing director, where he will lead the firm’s entry into the UK living sector.
Based at its newly established London office, Sanderson will oversee the establishment of the business’s fully integrated investment platform in the UK. With a BA in Economics from the University of York and an MA in Macroeconomics from the University of Liverpool, he has accumulated over 25 years of global real estate experience, with particular expertise in residential investment across the UK, Europe, the US and Australia.
Most recently, he served as managing director at Aviva Investors, and was chair of the Investment Property Forum from 2020-2022, where he continues as a board member.
Sanderson said: “I look forward to building upon Sentinel’s proven track record as a global multifamily investor and operator to provide a vertically integrated investment solution to meet the growing demand for professionally managed rental housing across the UK.”
Mash Halai, Pulse Consult
Pulse Consult has strengthened its residential capability with the appointment of Mash Halai as a director.
He brings with him over 30 years of housing sector expertise. Following three decades at John Rowan and Partners, where he led its residential development arm, Halai (pictured centre) has extensive experience across affordable and private housing, joint ventures, s106 package deals and land-led projects. He has worked with housing associations, local authorities, housebuilders and developers in the South East, helping to deliver thousands of new homes and leading major estate regeneration schemes across the region.
He has also served as account director for several G15 housing associations and as a non-executive board member at Origin Housing for two terms. More recently, he was on the board at The Housing Forum for three years.
Halai said: “From affordable housing to co-living and student accommodation, my focus will be on combining quality, sustainability and social value to create homes people are proud to live in, with safe, vibrant, resilient neighbourhoods that support long-term growth.”
Fiona Perrin, Jewson Partnership Solutions
STARK Building Materials UK (STARK UK) has appointed Fiona Perrin as managing director of Jewson Partnership Solutions (JPS), joining the UK executive team and reporting into CEO John Carter.
Perrin brings to the role a wealth of experience, having built her career in merchanting, manufacturing and several public sector organisations. She has worked in numerous customer-facing, sales and marketing, and business leadership roles, including positions at the Independent Builders Merchant Group, HSS Hire, Coastline Housing, Sentry Doors, the European Rental Association, Reactec, and Parker Building Supplies.
Perrin commented: “This is a once in a lifetime role, bringing together both my experience and passion for social housing. JPS is a very successful business, helping every day to provide decent homes and communities across the UK. With the backing of STARK Group – Europe’s leader in building materials distribution – as well as our innovations and ESG commitments that lead the market, we’re going to achieve great things.”
Charlie Weatherill, Savills
Savills has appointed Charlie Weatherill as a director within its Operational Capital Markets (OCM) division, based at its Margaret Street head office in London.
Weatherill will focus on the co‑living sector, with a particular emphasis on development funding, while also working on Savills Capital Advisors mandates. He previously spent over a decade at Savills, where he was a founding member of the OCM division and played a key role in the growth of the UK Build to Rent sector. He later served as capital markets director and board member at Telford Homes, overseeing investor relationships, deal structuring, and transaction execution.
Most recently, he worked as a senior consultant with organisations including Action, amongst others, on Empty Homes, seeking to create an institutional venture aimed at addressing the UK’s empty homes crisis.
Weatherall said: “I’m looking forward to working with colleagues in OCM and Savills Capital Advisors to deliver outstanding outcomes for our clients.”
Ross Baxter, Okarno
Okarno, a supply chain and fulfilment partner within the Saint-Gobain group, has appointed Ross Baxter as managing director to spearhead its next phase of growth.
Baxter brings over 20 years of experience in logistics and commercial leadership. Before joining Saint-Gobain in 2011 as commercial director for Pasquill, he worked for a global construction and power tools manufacturer, where he developed his expertise in logistics and supply chain management.
Baxter said: “I’m delighted to be leading Okarno during this transformative period. As part of Saint-Gobain’s Lead and Grow strategy, we’re focused on nurturing long-term relationships with customers and building Okarno’s reputation as the most reliable, flexible supply chain solution in our sector.
“Our focus is on strengthening Okarno’s position as the supply-chain partner of choice for our Saint-Gobain sister brands.”
Caroline McDade, Lichfields
Lichfields has appointed Caroline McDade as senior director, to be based in its London office.
McDade joins from BNP Paribas Real Estate where she was national head of planning. Almost three decades of experience across major regeneration, mixed-use and residential schemes includes leading national planning teams, managing large multidisciplinary programmes and supporting clients through planning strategy, policy promotion and delivery on major schemes. She has held senior roles at Deloitte and Drivers Jonas.
Commenting on her appointment, McDade said: “It is a great time to join a business that is already leading the conversation. I was also drawn to the scale of the practice, its national reach and its employee-owned structure, which gives people a genuine stake in the direction of the firm.”
James Fennell, chief executive of Lichfields, added of McDade: “Her appointment strengthens our London-based major projects capability and supports our continued growth across the UK as clients navigate an increasingly demanding planning and development environment.”
Helen Gillett, Platform Housing Group
Platform Housing Group has announced the appointment of Helen Gillett as its new chair designate, with a formal handover due to take place in spring 2026, succeeding John Weguelin, who has chaired the board since 2019.
She brings more than 30 years’ experience in customer service leadership, working across social housing, telecoms and the water industry. Gillett currently serves as senior independent director on the board of Orbit Group Ltd, where she chairs the Customer Service committee and acts as the statutory Member Responsible for Complaints. She also has roles in the Government Property Agency and HM Land Registry.
Gillett said: “I’m delighted to be joining Platform and very much looking forward to supporting everyone in the organisation to continue to improve how we deliver for our residents. I was particularly drawn to the people-focused nature of the role, something that reflects my own belief that success always comes down to how well we support our customers and our colleagues.”
