Alex Smith has joined Savills as an associate director in its recoveries and receivership team. He will be based at the firm’s Finsbury Circus House office in the City of London. He joins from Amazon UK Services, where he was an asset manager responsible for managing industrial units across the Midlands, Wales and Ireland. At Savills, he will focus on recoveries and receivership at a national level. Kevin Mersh, director, recoveries and receivership, Savills, said: " His wide range of experience across lease negotiation and landlord and tenant legislation will be a great addition".

Placefirst, the single-family rental developer and operator, has appointed Anna Hwang to the role of chief investment officer. Hwang will be based at the firm's London offices and joined Placefirst from Savills in May 2023, according to her LinkedIn profile. She is promoted after being director of assets and strategy. Hwang has more than 20 years' experience in the property sector, with the company adding that she has "played an instrumental role in developing and executing Placefirst’s real estate strategy".

Matthew Bonning-Snook, Helical's property director, will succeed Gerald Kaye as chief executive at its annual general meeting in July. Kaye has informed the board that, after 30 years with the company, he will be handing over his executive duties and stepping down from the board. He will remain as an external consultant. Bonning-Snook joined the business in 1995 and the board in 2007, and has been responsible for delivering a number of projects. Kaye said: "I have worked alongside Matthew for almost 30 years and believe he is the right person to succeed me."

Aviva Investors, the global asset manager of the insurance firm Aviva, has recruited Fraser Lundie as its global head of fixed income, after 14 years at a rival firm.

Lundie, who will be based in London, will report to chief investment officer Daniel McHugh and have overall responsibility for the global rates, investment grade, high yield, emerging market debt and global liquidity teams. He has "extensive experience" in asset management and joins from Federated Hermes, where he was head of fixed income, public markets, the firm said. He was responsible for the firm’s fixed income franchise and lead manager on several strategies.

King's Cross Central Limited Partnership, which owns and developed the 67-acre King's Cross estate, has appointed Stephen Hubbard as the chair of the board. He replaces Sir David Clementi, who was chair on the board for 16 years.

Hubbard had a 40-year career at CBRE, including as UK chairman. He was on the board of Workspace, where he spent the last three years as chairman. He is also a non-executive director of the JV partnership developing Canada Water. KCCLP shareholders comprise the pension fund AustralianSuper and clients of Federated Hermes.

Mark Teasdale has joined property consultancy Bidwells as its head of economics and social value to bolster the company’s socio-economic planning team. Teasdale brings more than 30 years’ experience delivering complex, mixed-use schemes, often subject to environmental impact assessment. He will also be responsible for developing the Bidwells social value strategy.

Mike Derbyshire, head of planning at Bidwells, said: "He has class-leading experience in carrying out social value evaluations, grounded by a first-class academic background as a trained economist."

Downing Property Finance has added to its development finance team with the appointment of Will Powell as an investment director. Powell will be responsible for sourcing new development finance transactions across England and Wales as the firm strives to be the "leading lending partner for brokers and developers throughout the UK". He brings more than 10 years’ experience in the development finance sector having been an early member of the Hampshire Trust Bank property finance team, where he worked closely with brokers and developers.