Deloitte duo launch sustainability consultancy

Jon Lovell, director of sustainability in Manchester, and Miles Keeping, partner and head of responsible property investment in London, have left Deloitte Real Estate to found a sustainability and skills consultancy called Hillbreak.

Hillbreak will offer advice and training support across environmental policy, risk management and investment to investors, developers, asset owners and cities.

Former employer Deloitte has retained Hillbreak’s services to provide a consultancy, learning and professional development programme.

Hillbreak aims to help companies navigate what it said are the multiple risks and opportunities presented by growing environmental, societal and policy pressures.

The company’s ethos is to “support, challenge and inspire” its clients and stakeholders.

Lovell will continue to be based in Manchester, while Keeping will work from London. Both will advise clients nationally and internationally.

Lovell and Keeping have worked to shape policy and industry practice through their involvement in the Investment Property Forum, British Property Federation and Urban Land Institute, and by chairing pan-industry advisory groups to Government.

Lovell is chairman of the UK Sustainability Council and is a UK executive committee member of the ULI. He was also a founding board member of the instrumental Manchester-China Forum. Keeping is chairman of the Green Property Alliance and is a director of the IPF.

Lovell, co-founder of Hillbreak, said: “Our independence enables us to engage more positively and overtly in advocacy activities and to fundamentally challenge and inspire clients at all levels. Our ambition is to continue delivering best-in-class training and advice to our clients, but also to help further the sector’s ambition, thinking and external reputation.”

Nigel Shilton, managing partner of Deloitte Real Estate, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Miles and Jon as both tirelessly tackle sustainability in the property agenda. I look forward to continuing working closely with them as Deloitte retains Hillbreak as an advisor. I wish them every success.”