One of the founders of GBR Phoenix Beard — which has grown to become one of the largest independent consultancies in the Midlands — has left the commercial property adviser to take over as head of BNP Paribas Real Estate’s Birmingham office.
Simon Robinson has more than 30 years’ experience, gained from appointments across Britain, Asia and the United States, in the investment and occupational markets. He has also served as Investment Property Forum Midlands chairman.
After working for three years at service provider Richard Ellis as head of its Birmingham office, Robinson co-founded GBR Property Consultants in 2003. Seven years later the niche office leasing and investment agency merged with property management company Phoenix Beard.
“Simon will be responsible for the delivery of our ambitious growth plans in the region and Birmingham, which is one of the company’s key regional offices,” commented John Slade, chief executive at BNP Paribas Real Estate UK.
Property consultants Alder King have appointed Martin Baker as a senior surveyor at its Swindon agency team.
Moving from Summerdown & Partners, a property management company in Marlborough where he handled the disposal and acquisition of all types of commercial property, Baker will work for development agencies and commercial clients across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and the Thames Valley. He has also worked for Swindon property agency, Whitmarsh Lockhart.
The Liverpool office of CBRE — contracted earlier this month by the Homes & Communities Agency to manage the 22-acre Liverpool Innovation Park — has appointed David Tyson as senior surveyor within its property and asset management team.
Tyson joins CBRE’s six-strong Merseyside team from the Manchester-based Texas Group where he was commercial property manager for three years. He previously worked for United Utilities, Britain’s largest listed water company.
Commercial property lawyer Tania McGee, who joined Wace Morgan Solicitors five years ago as a law graduate, has been promoted to a partner within Shropshire firm’s commercial department. During her time at Wace Morgan — which has three offices in Shrewsbury and one Newtown — McGee has specialised in public house and commercial development law.
A Birmingham-based property consultancy has strengthened its business offering with a promotion and a new recruit for its planning section.
Newly promoted associate director Andrea Caplan has been with Brooke Smith Planning for six years and been involved with some of the company’s highest profile projects. Her new role will allow her to take the lead on the new Birmingham Conservatoire building for Birmingham City University, to be built near the city’s Millennium Point.
The consultancy, which has offices in Edgebaston, has also appointed Andy Owen as principle planner. He has worked in a variety of consultancy and local authority roles, most recently for specialist minerals and waste planning business MJCA.
RATIO Law, the Manchester commercial practice, has strengthened its commercial property team by appointing Nick Trowell as a partner.
“Nick is well respected in the industry for offering no nonsense, straightforward and commercially sound advice, which fits well into our ethos at Ratio,” said Gisella Alberici, a partner at Ratio Law and a former colleague of Trowell at Heatons and Eversheds.
Story: Cliff Goodwin
Photo: Neil Bird
