Former Insignia Richard Ellis chief executive in the North West, Gary Halman (pictured), has formed his own Manchester-based planning consultancy with ex-colleague Andrew Watt.
Until his surprise resignation in November 2001, Halman was chief executive of IREs combined Liverpool and Manchester operations and responsible for the UK branch network. Andrew Watt worked closely with him for the last seven years in the firm’s planning department, where he was an associate director.
The new firm will be called HOW Planning Consultancy.
Halman said that pressure from clients and a desire to move away from a management role was the impetus behind his career change after 11 years leading St Quintin/Richard Ellis – latterly IRE – in Manchester.
He explained: “HOW is designed to fill a niche in the market that we identified for a commercially focused specialist planning consultancy which is independent of any mainstream agency practice, and therefore able to offer objective, market-aware advice.”
Halman is chairman of the Planning and development faculty of the RICS.
EGi News 17/01/02
