Jess Stevens — one of Europe’s leading property sustainability experts — has joined commercial agents GVA as an associate. She was recently profiled among Building magazine’s “50 sustainability stars”.
Stevens was recruited from Investment Property Databank (IPD), where she was responsible for its global sustainability products and services. As a specialist in how sustainability impacts investment performance, she was also the firm’s key global spokesperson and knowledge base on the subject and played a critical role in the development of IPD’s Eco-Portfolio Analysis Service.
Prior to joining IPD Stevens worked at the Public Investment Corporation Real Estate Asset Managers in South Africa, where she oversaw a portfolio of retail shopping centres located in under-serviced township areas of the republic. While there she was also responsible for IPD’s African environmental, social and governance strategy group.
“Over the past few years Jess has been at the forefront of measuring the sustainability of properties and funds and linking this to value,” said Alastair Mant, director and head of sustainability at GVA. “She has worked with some of the largest investors and funds, is well known in the industry and her experience in both asset management and sustainability makes her ideal to help us continue to grow our sustainability strategy and reporting services.”
With a number of key projects in the pipeline consultants Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has boosted its Manchester office with two appointments.
Stuart McGill is joining the property and asset management team after five years at specialist lawyers Lee Barron and fellow surveyor Joe Johnson will become a member of LSH’s building consultancy team. He previously worked at Deloitte Real Estate.
Both will head up a number of Manchester projects including the £25m Zenith Building in Manchester and the 200,000sq ft Kelloggs warehouse in Trafford Park. “Stuart and Joe bring expertise in relocation, acquisitions and dilapidations, not to mention their combined knowledge of the regional market,” said Abid Jaffry, head of LSH’s Manchester office.
In a separate appointment, LSH’s Newcastle has expanded its team by hiring David Gray as senior surveyor. He will specialise in lease advisory matters and valuations across all sectors.
After three years as a senior associate, property consultancy Carter Jonas has promoted senior associate Dan Taylor to a partner within its rural land and business team.
Originally joining the firm in 2008, Taylor is a registered Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors valuer. He specialises in the sale of rural property and land and general rural professional work, such as landlord and tenant matters and compensation claims, and will be working out of the team’s York office.
Melanie Grimshaw has become the latest addition to Pinsent Masons’ Manchester planning team. She is joining from Shoosmiths — where she was a founding member of its planning team in the city — as a senior associate.
Grimshaw joins a growing team of senior associates at the law firm which has recently recruited Katie Ridehalgh and Debra Cooper to its real estate and finance department.
Swinburne Maddison LLP, has announced a key appointment to its property team. Simon Robinson — formerly head of BHP Law’s commercial and agricultural property team — has joined the Durham City-based firm as a partner.
Story: Cliff Goodwin
Photo: Neil Bird
