Curzon Wharf developer hires life sciences team

Woodbourne Group has added three members of staff to its senior management team as part of the firm’s life sciences expansion plans. Tes Adamou will become head of life sciences, supported by Ian Lynch, who will serve as construction director and David Lupson as non-executive. Adamou is chief executive at EEDN, a project management consultancy specialising in life sciences. While maintaining his current position, Adamou will focus on ensuring that Woodbourne secures exclusivity over the West Midlands region. Adamou also serves as an adviser to 2050 Materials, a sustainability data platform, and is a board member at Zebra Housing Association. Adamou has led life sciences and education projects, including planning, delivery and leasing. He also has experience delivering research and development campuses and GMP manufacturing facilities in the UK. Lupson has experience in planning, delivering and leasing more than 2.5m sq ft of laboratory space across Cambridge Science Park, Newcastle Biosphere, Liverpool Science Park, Thames Valley Science Park and Edinburgh BioQuarter. Lupson’s clients include GlaxoSmithKline, councils, Greater London Authority, the NHS, the Queensland government, Scottish government and UK universities. Lynch was previously development project manager at Lendlease, where he worked on the Smithfield masterplan. Prior to that, he led the planning, procurement, and execution of mixed-use construction projects, cumulatively valued at more than £750m. Lynch will focus on delivering Curzon Wharf, Woodbourne’s £360m mixed-use net zero carbon ready development in Birmingham. Proposals for the 993,046 sq ft development include a 53-storey, 498-flat build-to-rent tower, a 41-storey, 732-bed student tower, a 14-storey, 12-flat residential development and 130,000 sq ft of office, research and development space. Key to the development is  a 130,000 sq ft biocentre which aims to set the standard for life sciences provision in the region. The plans were approved in April last year, with construction set to start in early 2025 after Woodbourne and Birmingham City Council signed off a section 106 agreement earlier this week. Tani Dulay, chief executive at Woodbourne, said: “We have assembled a team to deliver on our promise of Curzon Wharf. We now also have an international standard of expertise in the life sciences market which will enable us to deliver on our plans to be the class leader in the sector.” Image from Woodbourne