Property Movers & Shakers January 2021

29 January 2021

The Headlines: January 2021 Movers & Shakers, brought to you by PrimeResi. Links to the full stories can be found at the end of each section.

Buying Agents and Consultancies

Hutton Bubear

The former sales chief at Battersea Power Station and a top Savills agent have taken up senior positions at boutique buying agency Hutton Bubear. Mark Hutton and Charlie Bubear have joined the firm founded by their respective partners, Catherine Hutton and Alice Bubear. The plan is to grow the formerly country-focused acquisition outfit into a multi-disciplinary operation with services including development consultancy and PCL sales. Hutton had been running the sales programme at Battersea Power Station since 2015; he previously held high-level roles at Douglas & Gordon and Savills. Bubear has joined – also as managing partner – from Savills, where he headed up sales for the Chelsea and Earl’s Court offices.

Property Vision

Property Vision has expanded its coverage of the UK’s country market, launching a new arm in the North West of England headed up by former Strutt & Parker agent Edward Lucas. The new outpost covers Cheshire, Shropshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire.

Prime country acquisition

Prime country acquisition specialist Jess Simpson has boosted her team with two new hires. Jo Henry and Annabel Elliott have been recruited to cover the Cotswolds, West Country and surrounding areas.

Richard Winter

Savills director-turned-buying agent Richard Winter has boosted his team with another hire from his former firm. Deborah Moriarty has joined to boost coverage across Surrey, having previously headed up several Hamptons offices including Richmond, Kew and St Margarets, before becoming a director at Savills in Weybridge.

Read in full - Buying Agent stories

Estate Agents

The Modern House and Inigo

The team behind design-led estate agency The Modern House are launching a new offering for buyers and sellers of “marvellous historic homes” across the UK. Matt Gibberd and Albert Hill have set up Inigo, named after C17th architect Inigo Jones. Gibberd and Hill will running the show alongside senior directors Emma Mansell and Rosie Falconer, with input coming from a panel of “creatives and thinkers” known as The Guild; fashion designer Charlie Casey-Hayford, ex-Vogue editor Lucinda Chambers and Duncan Campbell of design studio Campbell Rey have already been signed up.

John D Wood

John D Wood has started 2021 with two senior appointments, naming Jane Jenrick as Head of Lettings, and Hayley Parnell as Property Management Director. Jenrick has been in the business for nine years, most recently as Regional Director for Central London. Parnell has worked for Countrywide Plc for the last six years, with the last two as Director of Property Management in the Premier & City London team.

Knight Frank - Knightsbridge

Arya Salari has been appointed lettings head at Knight Frank’s Knightsbridge branch, four years after making move from Foxtons. Knight Frank has also installed a new head of international residential sales in Hong Kong. Ryan Black has joined the agency from developer Hathway Capital Group.

Savills - Salisbury

Savills has recruited a new sales head at its base in Salisbury. James McKillop, who started out at the agency as a graduate in 2007, has made a return after almost nine years with Knight Frank.

Purplebricks and The Agency UK

A trio of senior Purplebricks alumni have launched a new “hybrid” estate agency, operating a self-employed model and covering England’s southern counties. Steph Walker, Andy Vass and Mark Bruce were part of the original team that helped establish PB as Britain’s biggest online estate agency. They have now teamed up to launch The Agency UK in the south of England, with ambitions to expand across the UK within the next year.

Carter Jonas and Prime Residential - York

Louise Hirst and Clare Coidan, both former Carter Jonas agents, have launched a new estate agency in York, called Prime Residential. Hirst spent over 16 years with Carter Jonas, rising to partner level before moving to NuSpace Homes as Sales Director in 2020. Coidan joined CJ as a Negotiator in 2017, leaving last Summer.

DM Hall - Scotland

Scottish property firm DM Hall has appointed a new Managing Partner, as Eric Curran steps down after six years in the post and 43 years with the 25-branch company. Company veteran John McHugh is now in charge, but Curran will continue to work in “a supporting role” at the firm through 2021 to smooth the transition.

Read in full - Estate Agent stories

Developers and Investors

Grosvenor Estate and REDD

Grosvenor Estate alumnus Mark Tredwell has joined Prime Central London property developer REDD as Head of Development. Tredwell moves from Oar Estates, where he was a development consultant. He previously spent 13 years with the Grosvenor Estate, most recently as Residential Project Director.

The Octagon Group

The Octagon Group’s executive chairman Colin Tutt is to retire after 35 years with the mansion-builder. After joining in 1986 from George Wimpey, Tutt worked his way up from development manager to development director and had a seat on the board by the age of 31; he served as CEO from 2001 until 2017. He will step down at the end of March.

Martin’s Properties - Chelsea

Chelsea-based developer Martin’s Properties has hired a brace of new money men, installing David Brown as Finance Director and Asif Khan as Financial Controller. Brown joins from Bonhill Group plc, where he was Group Finance Director. Previous roles include Corporate Finance Director at pub giant Greene King. Khan was previously Head of Finance at Imperial Portfolio.

Delancey and JLL

Delancey has recruited Zeynep Fetvaci as Head of Business Development & Investor Relations. Fetvaci joins from JLL, where she was a Managing Director and co-head of the Global Funds Advisory Team in EMEA.

Wetherby Real Estate

A new investment firm has launched, targeting serviced accommodation assets in Prime Central London on behalf of high net worth investors from Africa and around the world. Wetherby Real Estate has been set up by Zambian-born Barbara Chanakira, founder and CEO of the Mayfair-based buying agency Eaton Property Consultants, which has been running since 2011.

SevenCapital

Property investor/developer SevenCapital has recruited a former Divisional Chairman at Berkeley Group as its new Managing Director. Angus Michie spent 24 years at Berkeley, founding the St Edward brand as a joint venture with M&G, and launching the housebuilder’s newest brand, St Joseph, in the West Midlands.

Berkeley Group

Berkeley Group has added three new names to its panel of Non-Executive Directors, as two Non-Execs prepare to retire. William Jackson, Elizabeth Adekunle and Andy Kemp have been brought in, as Adrian Li and Baroness Fleet, Veronica Wadley step down. Jackson is Managing Partner of private equity giant Bridgepoint, which he has run since 2001. Adekunle is Archdeacon of Hackney for the Diocese of London. Kemp is a senior partner at PwC in London.

Read in full - Developers and Investor stories

Other property professions

Homes England

The Chief Executive of housing quango Homes England, Nick Walkley, is to leave the Government agency on 28th February. Gordon More, the agency’s Chief Investment Officer, will act as Interim CEO.

New Housing Minister

Eddie Hughes has stepped up to become the latest Housing Minister, replacing Kelly Tolhurst, who resigned after just four months in the role following some “devastating” personal news. Hughes is MP for Walsall North.

JLL

Global real estate agency JLL has named Stephanie Hyde as its new UK CEO. After 25 years with PwC, she will become the first female chief exec of JLL’s UK business, and take over from Chris Ireland – who steps up as chairman after 40 years with the firm – in April.

Ekkist

Wellness-focused design consultancy Ekkist has recruited a new Director to build the company’s advisory services in wellbeing consultancy and certification. Ben Channon was formerly Head of Wellbeing at Assael Architecture, having joined the practice as an Architectural Assistant back in 2012. He’s now an architect, WELL Accredited Professional, TEDx speaker and mental wellbeing advocate, and author of the book “Happy by Design”.

Rendall & Rittner and Warwick Estates

Property management firm Rendall & Rittner has hired a new area director to oversee its London division. Sarah Williams joins from Warwick Estates.

Royds Withy King

Law firm Royds Withy King has appointed David Paxton as its new head of real estate. The development specialist – and British Army Captain – has joined the firm’s London office from Charles Russell Speechlys.

Read in full - other property profession stories