The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has appointed its first female president in the organisation’s 146 year history. The woman elected by the RICS’ governing council has been named as Louise Brooke-Smith.
While serving her year-long presidency, she will continue to be involved with her Birmingham-based planning and development consultancy Brooke Smith Planning. Brooke-Smith succeeds outgoing RICS president, Michael Newey.
“We are a proud industry, but have lagged behind others in terms of making the most of a diverse workforce,” she said. “That’s why I’m delighted the RICS’ ‘Surveying the Future’ campaign will be a pillar of my presidential term and will help drive change across the industry to ensure we attract and retain the very best talent.”
Brooke-Smith, who has worked as a surveyor for nearly 30 years, is also a visiting fellow at Sheffield Hallam University and holds an honorary doctorate for services to surveying from Wolverhampton University. She is a previous chairwoman of Women in Property in the West Midlands.
RICS has also awarded fellowship status to Jane Lathwood, a surveyor employed by commercial agent GVA at its Manchester office.
In a round of more than 100 promotions across its UK network GVA has upgraded eight members of its Manchester staff and one from Liverpool where the head of its Merseyside office, Patrick Whitby, now becomes a senior director.
Manchester-based Chris Argent and Nicola Rigby, both in the planning department, and Jonathan Stanlake, from land and development, have all become directors. Rebecca Skerrett, and Ian Whittaker have become principle surveyors, while James Pickles and Richard Moreton are now associates. Also working from the Manchester office, Marion Scott has been promoted to a senior property administrator.
“These latest promotions to key individuals in the region follow what has been a defining year for GVA,” said regional senior director, Mark Rawstron. “As we open a new chapter in the long history of this 200-year-old company, we want and need to bring key individuals and teams with us on this exciting journey onto the international stage.”
After recently announcing a five-year growth strategy, Chester law firm Hillyer McKeown has announced a series of appointments to its commercial property team.
Joining Caroline Jones — who has been with the firm for four years and who has now been named head of commercial property — is “contentious property matters” specialist Michael Wright.
Two other new commercial team members are Simone Barry, who is returning to the legal sector after serving as a director of a North West plant hire firm, and litigation specialist Chris Harmer who will head up debt recovery. His experience ranges from handling £16m claims for international corporates down to owner-managed businesses.
One of Kent’s largest law firms has welcomed a new commercial specialist to its team of solicitors.
Dan Cowley has joined the Canterbury office of Whitehead Monckton as an associate. He moves from Legal 500-listed Penningtons Manches LLP where he specialised in commercial property within the higher education sector. He also has experience working with medium to large companies investing in property portfolios.
Story: Cliff Goodwin
Photo: La-Citta-Vita on Flickr (cc)
Previous Post
LCP Director retires after 46 Years
