Agent takes on over 50 staff to boost areas of the business directors believe have growth potential
Jane Roberts
Jones Lang LaSalle has been on a recruitment spree after having made 92 staff redundant seven months ago.
In the past two months, the UK’s second-biggest surveying firm has taken on more than 50 staff, most from rival agents.
Alastair Hughes, JLL’s managing partner for England, defended last December’s redundancies, which affected almost 10% of UK staff, as the right thing to do at the time. “The redundancies we made were our interpretation of what was happening in the market,” he said.
“Around 85% of those made redundant were from either central support or from service lines we do not want to focus on anymore, such as technical support, procurement, architectural services and management accounts we are no longer pursuing.”
He said that the new appointments were in areas that he felt that business needed to expand more strongly following a strategic review. The highest-profile appointments in recent weeks were European directors Julie Green, formerly of Lazards, in corporate finance and Julie Seear, from Serco, in corporate solutions. Marc Roberts also joins corporate solutions from Morgan Stanley.
Hughes added: “We see both these fields as growth areas. We have enjoyed success in corporate solutions with clients, such as Deutsche Bank and Cisco, and want to drive that business forward.
“Likewise, we see more activity in corporate finance, and feel we can take the investment banks head on.”
Many of the other appointments are in residential, and valuation and professional work (see box). Hughes said some were “opportunistic” appointments at a time when it is easier to recruit.
The moves come at a time of unprecedented movement between firms in the agency job market. Hughes agreed that it was “very, very unusual” to be recruiting so intensively.
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JLL recruitment drive |
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Residential David Jones (from Cluttons) – development consultant Jack Simmons (from DTZ) – associate Katy Goodman (from DTZ) – associate Retail and leisure Victoria Supple (from Knight Frank) – associate Rupert Cooper (from CBHP) Paul Garry (from Gooch Webster), Birmingham Professional services Vince Hrstich (from Islington borough council) Nick Dinni (from CBRE in Australia) Landlord and tenant (office and industrial) Mike Hancock (from Rogers Chapman) – associate, joins in October Lee Conroy (from Bissett Kenning & Newiss), Manchester |
National offices Mark Emburey (from Churston Heard) – associate National industrial Richard Evans (from King Sturge) – associate Management services Dick Hibberd (from Sainsbury’s) – director Alex Maries (from CBHP) – associate European management David McMillan (from CBHP) – associate Strategic consulting Neil Harris – transfer from Spain Building surveying Robb Carr (from MJ Summer) Richard Bull (from Montagu Evans) Valuation Stuart Smith (from KS) Birmingham |
