Brian Birtwistle latest heavyweight to fall at DTZ

Senior industrial agency figure Brian Birtwistle has been made redundant by DTZ in Manchester.

Birtwistle was director in charge of industrial and had been with the company, in its various guises, for 23 years. He left at the end of October and is doing consultancy work, including ad hoc projects for DTZ.

Tony O'Keefe, also director, will now head up DTZ's industrial team, supported by Alex Smylie, senior surveyor.

Birtwistle was the only member of the Manchester office to leave in the latest round of cuts. DTZ announced in September that 100 UK jobs would be lost, having made similar numbers redundant in May 2009 and autumn 2008. Earlier big name departures in Manchester include those of office agency directors Rupert Barron and Andrew Gardiner.

DTZ said in a statement today: "DTZ's industrial team in the North West is headed up by director Tony O'Keefe and is part of DTZ's northern region industrial team of three directors and 11 staff. Brian Birtwistle will work with DTZ and the team as a consultant to DTZ's corporate clients on a project-by-project basis."

DTZ is attempting to find £50m of annualised cost savings across the business. Remaining staff agreed to cut wages and pensions as part of the cost-saving programme.

Birtwistle could not be reached when called by Place.