Property adviser of the year
Colliers International is the proud winner of the Scotland property adviser award this year. Bob Fisher, head of Scotland, and Tom Johnston, head of the Glasgow office, kept the win secret from staff until they had the award firmly in their hands and then treated everyone to a few beers down the pub.
Johnston puts the company’s success down to “experience and common sense”. It is a view that is backed by, Dennis McCafferty at the Royal Mail, who describes the firm as having “a professional approach, consisting of individuals with the experience and expertise to do the work required”.
Fisher is proud of the fact that the company has returned to offering a full service, from planning to rates advice. It is something that he believes gives Colliers its competitive edge. “It was something we were very keen to do and have done,” he says.
Ratings work has helped the company to increase its market share, with fee income for ratings work up by 240%. Another achievement cited by Johnston is the company’s success with site acquisitions for supermarkets. “We probably acquire more food store sites than any other agent,” he says.
Despite the tough market conditions, Fisher says that increasing the firm’s staff numbers is also a possibility.
He says: “If the right person is there that would add to our offer, then we will recruit.”
Property company of the year
Miller Developments took the Scotland property company crown in this year’s EG awards.
Development director Pamela Grant puts the company’s success down to being swift of foot, something that gives them a competitive advantage: “Being part of a privately owned company enables us to have a straightforward and quick decision-making structure, allowing us to respond rapidly and take advantage of new business opportunities as they arise.”
The company’s highlights for the last financial year reflect this. There have been asset disposals such as the sale of phase 2 of Edinburgh Quay, lettings such Aker Solutions taking 20,000 sq ft at Admiral Court in Aberdeen, as well as working up planning permission and land acquisitions for future development.
“We are optimistic about the prospects for significant development opportunities over the next few years,” says Grant. “In spite of the ongoing market depression, lack of bank finance and uncertainty regarding economic predictions, we are well-placed in staffing and financial terms to take advantage of these conditions where interesting opportunities arise.”
Carrying on in the same vein, Grant says the focus going forward will be the UK and small-scale projects with strong occupier interests.
