Catalyst poaches JLL director to launch Manchester office

Tom McWilliams, development director at JLL, is leaving the consultancy to set up the Manchester office of investor Catalyst Capital.

McWilliams will be joining Catalyst at the end of August, and is charged with growing the London-based company’s development business in the region.

He has worked at JLL for more than 10 years, since started as a graduate. He specialises in city centre development, and has advised on projects such as Allied London’s St John’s, and the developer procurement process for Manchester’s 26-acre Mayfield, which resulted in the selection of U+I.

Schemes Catalyst Capital is delivering in Manchester include the £17m StayCity hotel in New Cross, and the recently refurbished 98,500 sq ft Arkwright House office on Parsonage Gardens.

Georgina Rose at JLL has been appointed to replace McWilliams in the city centre development team.

David Lathwood, lead director of North West, at JLL said: “I want to thank Tom for his 11 years of work with us and wish him the best of luck in his new role.

“Georgina has a wealth of property experience given her eight years working in the North West market and she was a clear choice for the role. New development in Manchester is at the heart of the North West property market’s boom. Our clients increasingly need experienced people who live and breathe the market to help them navigate new opportunities during this exciting time.”