People moves: Schroder REIT appoints non-exec director

This week’s appointments and promotions Sanjay Patel (pictured, right) has been appointed as an independent non-executive director of Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust, effective from January. He currently works for Cadogan Group. GCW has appointed Michael Hardy (pictured, centre) as a director of its owner team to strengthen its lease advisory capabilities.  He previously worked at Lee Baron for 23 years, advising landlords on shopping centres and town centre assets. Helen Hare (pictured, left), GPE’s director of projects, has been appointed junior vice president of the British Council for Offices management board. She will work alongside president Despina Katsikakis of Cushman & Wakefield and senior vice president Peter Crowther of Bruntwood. Savills has appointed Mark Redfern as sales director at its Westbourne Grove branch. Redfern joined the firm in 2021, prior to which he co-founded Oculus Property Advisors. Giles Sutcliffe has been hired as director in its affordable housing consultancy. He previously worked at Chestertons and Cluttons. Montagu Evans has recruited Rachel Crick to its planning team as a partner. She joins from Avison Young and specialises in planning consents within the London market. Barry Cummins has stepped down as Homes England’s chief land and development officer. He joined the firm in September 2018 as general manager for land acquisitions and was appointed national development director in November 2019. Real estate finance and investment firm TAB has appointed Paul Holmes as a commercial underwriter and Martyn Evans as a senior business development manager for the north of England. The Harris Partnership has promoted Iain Church, Ian Perrell, Russell O’Donoghue, Sarah Charlesworth, Mark Hendy and Sarah Rhodes to the role of director. Marisa Rigby and Jonathan Wrynne have been promoted to associate. Cushman & Wakefield has hired Colliers’ John Freker as a partner in its UK student accommodation team. He will be in charge of managing student housing deals and offering investing advice. Mary Ricks has joined British Land as a non-executive director. She recently stepped down as president of Kennedy Wilson, where she had served for 32 years. Knight Frank IM has appointed John Styles as chief investment officer following Matthew McDonald’s promotion to chief executive. Styles has been a board member since 2012 and is responsible for UK pension fund and insurance company client mandates. Nina Wallrock has joined Harding Green as a property consultant. Former Avison Young agents Miles Marten, Paul Wilkinson, Ellie Kirkby, James Potter, David Marsden, Andy Cherry, Grant Imlah and George Stratton have launched Park Place Retail. The new warehouse advisory business will provide investment and agency advice in the out-of-town retail, foodstore and leisure sectors. GPE has promoted Simon Rowley to the newly created role of director for flex workspaces. Jordan McLean has joined as director of IT, innovation and digital transformation. Marrons has promoted Reiss Sadler and George Smith to the position of principal planner, based in its Stratford-upon-Avon office. Rushbond has named Ian Ball as its new chief executive. He was most recently chief operating officer of Harworth Group. Margaret Sweeney, chief executive of Irish Residential Properties REIT, will retire from the business in April 2024. She joined the board as an independent director in 2016 and became chief executive in 2017. John Treacy and Siôn Bennett have joined Centrick Invest as directors of its newly formed Far East team, which will serve clients investing in UK residential property. Ben Spencer has joined Holt Commercial as its new financial controller. Home Group has appointed Lara Joisce as chair of its audit committee. She is group head of finance at Logical Holdings. Architectural practice rg+p has named Jack Whitehead as its new Birmingham studio director. Mera Investment Management has hired James Fenwick as a structured finance analyst. Whitbread’s property team has hired Will Steward and Rowan Edwards as construction project and programme managers. James Hall has joined as acquisitions development manager and Quinten Barker as a property apprentice. Click here to submit an appointment for inclusion in EG’s People Moves To send feedback, e-mail sharon.harnett@eg.co.uk or tweet @EGPropertyNews