Ex-CBRE retail head joins Harris’s Vedra Group

The former head of UK retail at CBRE, Rhodri Davies, is teaming up with Chris Harris at his newly established company Vedra Group. Davies will join the former John Lewis property director at Vedra following the conclusion of his six months gardening leave. Davies quit CBRE in September this year. Vedra was set up in 2023 after Harris quit John Lewis. The firm was established to “fill a gap in the market with genuine understanding of what retailers need”. The firm has recently picked up the mandate to advise the Body Shop on its 113-store portfolio following its recent restructure. With decades of experience buying and selling shopping centres, including advising on British Land’s sale of its stake in Meadowhall shopping centre earlier this year, Davies is expected to bring investment expertise to the growing business. Alongside Davies, Harris has also recently added former head of property at M&S, Arcadia and M&Co, Kerry Northfield, and fellow John Lewis employee, David Wood, to the business.