Portman Estate's Fenn-Smith on office move, Newcastle United adds property pro to board, GPA recruits former Argent managing partner

At the beginning of next year, The Portman Estate's property team will relocate across London's West End into offices at One Great Cumberland Place. According to its chief executive, Oliver Fenn-Smith, the move - in addition to providing a better environment for its staff - reflects the group's commitment to evolving the south-west corner of its 110-acre landholding.

One Great Cumberland Place, a 59,000-square-foot property facing London's Marble Arch, is an example of how the group is looking to curate its offices to suit the post-COVID occupier, an approach he says has already worked at its retail properties. The 80-strong team will occupy 8,400 square feet on the fourth floor.

Having moved just three times in the last century, Fenn-Smith says the decision to relocate wasn't made lightly. He says the new office shows its ambition to meet the highest standards of corporate social responsibility, having secured B Corp accreditation in 2022, the first to do so of London's 'Great Estates'.

"We are fully designing that space to suit for new ways of working," he says. "It is all about collaboration and creativity, and we feel that building offers that in spades. It's not just about the physical move, it's about the opportunity to embed and embrace new ways of working and make sure that we're coming together for maximum effect."

You can read the full interview with Fenn-Smith by clicking this link.

The Premier League's Newcastle United has appointed an experienced North East property professional to sit on its board of directors. Roger Thornton joined earlier this month and works for the Reuben's Motcomb Estates, a global asset management company, where he is head of property. The club said Thornton has played a key role in recent developments in Newcastle city centre, including the Pilgrims Quarter project, and has supported property matters for Newcastle Racecourse. The Magpies are currently exploring options to expand their stadium, with its chief operating officer Brad Miller telling The Independent that it is ready to sign a "once-in-a-generation" cheque to achieve its goal.

Anna Strongman, the CEO of Oxford University Developments, has joined the Government Property Agency's board as a non-executive director. Strongman, who is also a non-executive director for Dolphin Living, will work alongside chair Pat Ritchie and takes up the position vacated by Jane Hamilton, whose tenure ended earlier this year. Strongman was previously managing partner of Argent in London, where she spent 12 years. She became CEO of OUD in 2020. Ritchie said in a statement: "[Anna] will further strengthen the board bringing expertise spanning development, investment and asset management across retail, residential, life sciences and mixed-use regeneration schemes."

JLL has appointed leading City offices investment agent Dan Gaunt to its Central London capital markets team. Gaunt will join JLL next January after a period of gardening leave and has more than 14 years’ experience, specialising in the City of London’s investment market. He will join from Savills, where he started his career in 2010. Gaunt has a strong track record and has acted on numerous significant transactions including, the recent acquisition of Winchester House for Castleforge and Gamuda Land for £250 million. Julian Sandbach, head of Central London office markets at JLL, said: "[Dan] is recognised by clients and peers alike as a key agent within the London market."

National property consultancy Bidwells has appointed Jo Hawkings as a group partner in the investment and property management team, based in its head office in Cambridge. Bidwells said she was a key hire as it continues to strengthen its focus on asset management, a core part of the long-term growth plans to double the size of the business by 2030 announced earlier this year. Hawkings joins from the role of director at Pembroke where she focused on improving processes, systems, and enhancing asset management operations. She has experience in real estate investment, fund management, capital transactions and asset management. She has also worked for CBRE and Dexus in Australia.

Bankfoot APAM, the specialist UK development manager, has appointed Sam Crusz to project director, adding more than 15 years' experience to the firm. Crusz has a civil engineering and project management background and has led on projects across multiple regions, including the UK, New Zealand and the US. She has spent the last eight years in London, and was previously development manager at Old Park Lane Management. Her portfolio includes large-scale residential developments, hotel and office schemes, with notable projects such as the regeneration of Elephant & Castle and major masterplan developments in New Zealand. She will oversee the delivery of Salford’s Soapworks at Bankfoot.