We take our weekly look at appointments and promotions across the housebuilding industry and its supply chain.
Steve Breslin, The Owl Group
The Owl Group has announced it has appointed Steve Breslin as its new group chief financial officer.
Breslin joins the Owl Group’s leadership team with more than 20 years of industry experience, having held senior finance roles at Taylor Wimpey, Galliford Try Partnerships and, most recently, Lovell Partnerships, where he was a member of the main board.
Breslin commented: “This is an exciting opportunity to join an established business with ambitious plans. Owl’s growth over the past year has been impressive, and it has built a strong pipeline of land opportunities to keep that momentum going. The group has a talented team in place and there’s a real sense of energy around the business.
Amanda Bishop, group growth director at Owl Group, commented: “Bringing someone of Steve’s calibre into the business is an important step forward. His appointment reflects both the scale of our ambitions, and the business Owl is becoming. We are delighted to welcome Steve to the group and are confident about what we can achieve together.”
Helen Forsyth, Home Group Scotland
Home Group Scotland has appointed housing leader Helen Forsyth (pictured left) as its new chair of the board, succeeding Susan Deacon CBE. She will also join the Home Group board.
Forsyth’s considerable experience include 13 years as chief executive of Berwickshire Housing Association, and she has served as the chair of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA). She is currently a board member of Castles and Coasts Housing Association and deputy chair of South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE). She has also held senior positions with Places for People and Edinvar Housing Association.
Forsyth said: “I’ve been impressed by the quality of family homes Home Group provides in Scotland and by the positivity of the team and their commitment to continually improving what they do.”
Bryony Willet (pictured right), director of Home Group Scotland, said of Forsyth: “She joins us at an important time as we continue to invest in our existing homes, build much-needed new homes and focus on providing the best possible experience for our customers.”
Two appointments, Grant Westfield
Grant Westfield has strengthened its regional sales team with the appointment of two new business development managers.
Wayne Morgan (pictured left) has joined the business as business development manager for Wales, bringing a wealth of experience across sales, business development, operations and customer relationships. Prior to joining the company, he spent seven years as sales and operations manager for an independent home improvements retail business.
Also joining the sales team is Chris Waites (pictured right), who has been appointed as business development manager for the North of England. He joins from Woodstock Trading Co., where he held the position of area sales manager.
Michael Dobson, Grant Westfield’s sales director, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Wayne and Chris to the Grant Westfield sales team. Both bring valuable experience and a strong customer-focused approach, which will be a real asset as we continue to strengthen our relationships with customers across Wales and the North of England.”
Two appointments, Property Sense
Property Sense has appointed Alex Gooch as head of build to rent sales and Craig Allden as head of leasing.
Gooch (pictured left) joins from LOFT, where he was head of living sector sales, and comes with seven years of experience across Build to Rent and the wider living sector. He has worked with more 50 operators across over 300 developments across the UK and brings experience in PropTech, operations, mobilisation, leasing and business development. He previous worked at Inventory Hive.
Allden (pictured right) brings seven years of operator-side Build to Rent experience across some of the sector’s most recognised platforms and developments to the company, and has previously worked with Property Sense from the operator side. His most recent role was head of leasing at Moda Living, and prior to that, estate leasing manager at Quintain Living.
Allden said: “The opportunity to now bring my experience into the business and help shape that service across a much wider portfolio was one I couldn’t turn down.”
Three appointments, Richborough
Richborough has strengthened its planning and technical capability with three new appointments across its national business: James Little as technical coordinator; Matthew Galvin as planning manager for the South West; and Nottingham Trent University student Jack Gallagher as assistant land & planning manager for the Central region.
Little (pictured centre) will work with technical director Stuart Nelmes and the wider Technical team. He brings experience in civil engineering and technical design, having previously held roles at Couch Consulting, Woods Hardwick and Hyder Consulting.
Galvin (pictured left) joins from CALA Group, where he worked as a planner, having previously held a similar role at Form Design Group. He holds a First-Class degree in Urban Design, Planning and Development from Oxford Brookes University and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) and an Associate Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (AssocRTPI).
Gallagher (pictured right) is studying Property Development and Planning at Nottingham Trent University and joins for his industry placement year, supporting the Central team, covering sites across Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Iain Powis, Savills
Iain Powis has rejoined Savills an associate director based in Oxford following three years in senior positions with two independent real estate firms.
Powis has some 20 years’ experience in the property industry and previously spent 11 years with Savills, working across the firm’s Banbury, Summertown and Cheltenham offices. During that time, he predominantly specialised in residential development sales. He will now be advising housebuilders, developers, landowners and institutional clients on the delivery and sales of residential schemes in Oxfordshire and beyond.
He commented: “It was the people and collaborative culture that drew me back, as well as the opportunity to be part of a team with such a deservedly strong reputation and market presence.”
Nicola Horner, regional head of Savills Residential Development Sales, said of Powis: “His track record advising developers and landowners, together with his strategic approach to residential development, make him an excellent addition to the team. We are absolutely delighted to welcome him back.”
Peter Disley, Carter Jonas
Carter Jonas has appointed Peter Disley as a partner in its Manchester Planning & Development team.
He joins having spent some 25 years working across the public and private sectors. His career spans consultancy, development and investment, providing him with experience of projects from initial site identification and acquisition through planning, viability, funding, delivery and disposal.
Disley was most recently head of development at Courts Real Estate. He has previously held senior development roles at Praxis Real Estate, New East Manchester URC and Cushman & Wakefield. Earlier in his career he worked for Drivers Jonas (now Deloitte Real Estate).
Disley said: “I have worked on projects from several different perspectives – as a consultant, developer and investor – and I am looking forward to bringing that experience to Carter Jonas and working with colleagues across the business to help clients unlock opportunities and bring complex projects forward.”
Joe Cooke, Ascend
Ascend has brought in Joe Cooke as group sustainability manager, to be focused on all aspects of sustainability across the company’s operations and the platforms that it manages.
He will also be working with the wider Alvesta Living Group to help build sustainable practices into its activities. He joins from Net Zero Group, where he was a carbon consultant, and has over six years’ experience in sustainability.
Lee Hill, commercial director at Ascend, said: “Building sustainability into our business – not only our operational activity, but the homes and communities where we work – is a key part of Ascend’s approach, and we are proud to have pioneered best practice in this area for the property management sector.
“Joe’s arrival highlights the importance we place on this issue, and his expertise will be central to what we can offer our clients, partners and residents alike.”
Jen Wallace, Mesh
Building performance and M&E engineering specialist Mesh has appointed Jen Wallace as managing director.
Wallace joined Mesh in 2019 as one of the company’s first employees, progressing from a junior renewable energy consultant to team lead, before being appointed operations director in 2022.
Commenting on her appointment, Wallace said: “I am extremely proud of the people and culture we have built at Mesh. There is a genuinely shared commitment to improving the sustainability of buildings and the wider environment that we live and work in. I am looking forward to leading the next stage of the business.”
Doug Johnson, founding director of Mesh, commented: “Jen understands the commercial and operational realities and challenges our clients face. Her progression from energy consultant to Managing Director reflects her talent as a business leader in the built environment. I am delighted that she has accepted this role to lead Mesh through its next phase.”
Two appointments, Thriving Investments
Thriving Investments, has today announced the appointment of two new senior roles as it builds on its ambition of bringing 20,000 homes under management by 2034.
Lydia Merry (pictured left) joins from Schroders into the newly created role of director of investor relations and product. She arrives with 15 years’ experience in investment management and has previously worked at Frogmore Real Estate Partners, CBRE Investment Management, Amundi and ANZ.
Annemarie Roberts (pictured right) will join in October as managing director of ReSI Homes, the for-profit registered provider owned by ReSI LP. She is a Chartered Member of the CIH and holds an MBA from the University of Bath. She has previously served as a trustee for Crawley Open House, a homelessness charity.
Cath Webster, CEO of Thriving Investments, commented: “I’m delighted to have Lydia and Annemarie join us at such a pivotal time. Together, they strengthen our leadership team and boost our ability to deliver more homes, attract greater investment and create positive social impact for people across the UK.”
