Avison Young has bought niche Manchester agency WHR Property Consultants to gain a foothold in the city, and open its fifth UK office.
The US and Canadian agency brand, which will now have 11 offices in Europe, is pursuing an aggressive growth strategy; its acquisition of WHR forms part of this.
WHR is a multi-disciplinary firm that was founded in 2004 by a group of Manchester-based property professionals.
On completion of the transaction, WHR will be rebranded as Avison Young and 35 new members will join from WHR. Mark Williams, Gareth Buckley, Mike Rooney and Dan Crossley will become principals at Avison Young.
Williams will become managing director of the new Manchester office and will play a leading role in the company’s strategic expansion in the North West while managing the day-to-day operations of the office.
Chairman and chief executive Mark Rose said: “The new Manchester team prides itself on close relationships with clients, many of whom have relied upon the firm since its inception. This acquisition is another important milestone in the expansion of our rapidly growing UK operations.
“Avison Young will provide the new team’s clients with a countrywide service offering that spans the entire property lifecycle. In addition, we will provide North West clients with access to overseas markets and global resources.
“Mark, Gareth, Mike and Dan are well-respected leaders within the North West commercial property industry, and their combined experience and approach to the delivery of client projects will be extremely beneficial to Avison Young as we continue to execute our strategic growth plan throughout the UK. Moreover, the addition of 35 members will further strengthen our existing high-performing UK team.”
Avison Young’s new office in Manchester will be in the central business district at the Lexicon, 10 Mount Street.
Avison Young entered the UK market in April 2014 when it acquired London-based commercial real estate services firm Haywards and opened new offices in the London West End and Thames Valley.
In December 2015, the firm opened an office in the City of London, and further widened its UK footprint in January 2016 by expanding to the Midlands with the opening of an office in Coventry through the acquisition of North Rae Sanders.
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