One of the most important civil servants for the West End property industry has quit his job in favour of the private sector.
Ben Denton, who last year became executive director for growth, planning and housing at Westminster city council in a wide-ranging reshuffle which was seen as hugely positive for the property industry, has been appointed to the board of Keepmoat as group strategy and business development director.
His shock departure follows that of long-serving strategic director for the built environment Rosemarie MacQueen, whom he effectively replaced in the reorganisation.
Denton leaves in September after four years at Westminster, having joined from Elliot Lipton’s First Base in 2011 as strategic director of housing, regeneration and property.
At Keepmoat, which is the 11th-largest house builder in the country and has large social housing and repairs and maintenance arms, Denton will help bring the company’s new homes and regeneration businesses together.
“I am very sad to be leaving Westminster, but for me this is a really exciting opportunity to help Keepmoat expand its business.
“It is a big player outside London and the aim is to expand its activities in the South East.”
Westminster Property Association chairman Dan Van Gelder said the council’s reorganisation had put real estate and Denton’s role right at the top of the agenda, with the subsequent publication of the council’s West End vision document making “the role even more critical”.
“With that in mind, it is clearly extremely disappointing that Ben has chosen to move back to the private sector,” he said.
“However there are a number of extremely talented individuals at Westminster who we could envisage taking the mantle and know that under [chief executive] Charlie Parker’s very effective leadership, the post will not be vacant for long.”
jack.sidders@estatesgazette.com
