Cluttons makes key Manchester hires
Gareth Buckley has been appointed partner and national head of business rates, while Alan Watson has been named a partner in project and building consultancy.
Both Buckley and Watson are joining Cluttons from Avison Young, where they were a principal and a director, respectively. They will be based in Cluttons’ Manchester office, which launched last year.
Buckley has more than 35 years of experience in providing business rates advice and was a founding partner of WHR Property Consultants. Buckley was also national head of rating at Lambert Smith Hampton from 2002 to 2004 and is a former committee member and honorary secretary of the Rating Surveyors Association.
At Cluttons, Buckley will be working alongside the Northern head of rating Ryan Jones and Southern head of rating Michael Hampton-Riddington.
John Gravett, head of real estate management at Cluttons, said Buckley is already making an impact in his new role.
“Not only is he a standout part of our expanding northern team but has the experience, commitment, and vision to lead the growth of our national business rates team working alongside Michael, Ryan, and our other partners,” Gravett said.
Charlie Ardern, who heads the Manchester office, said: “Our Northern business rates team is incredibly strong and one of the market leaders so to have our national head also based in our Manchester office further underpins the market presence of our team.
“Gareth’s appointment also further strengthens our capabilities in the North – not just in rating but across the whole property consultancy lifecycle.”
As a member of the project and building consultancy team, Watson will advise clients on office design and space planning, contract management, and large project management. Watson has close to 20 years of experience in the built environment and has worked with Donaldsons, DTZ, and WHR Property Consultants in addition to Avison Young.
Watson expressed his enthusiasm for his new role at Cluttons.
“Cluttons has quickly built up an impressive presence in the North and has ambitions to continue growing its strategic offer from Manchester,” he said.
“I am excited to join the team and be part of that growth story while supporting the project and building consultancy business line as it expands its customer-centric services nationwide.”
Bringing on Watson and Buckley is just part of Ardern’s strategy for growing the Northern offering at Cluttons.
“In just a year, Cluttons Northern hub has become a major force to be reckoned with in the market, adding four senior roles in the past three months and trebling in size since we opened in November 2021,” Ardern said. “This is a major investment in talent, with more to come in early 2023.”
