DTZ expands Manchester consulting team
DTZ Manchester has recruited Ben Pretty as senior consultant and promoted three team members as part of a recent round of global promotions across the firm.
Neil Riley has been promoted to associate director, Heather Standidge to senior consultant and Josaphine Ford joins the team as consultant following qualifying as a chartered surveyor.
In addition to the new appointments and promotions, Ben Hunter has moved internally to support the team's work on delivering the government's Free Schools programme.
Ben Pretty joins from Leeds-based regeneration and property consultancy, Genecon LLP, and has over seven years' consultancy experience.
Pretty is a member of the RICS Management Consultancy Professional Group and has experience of providing strategic advice to public sector clients on a range of real estate challenges to deliver financial efficiencies, corporate objectives and wider economic outcomes.
His previous clients include the Homes & Communities Agency, Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and other public and private sector organisations.
At DTZ, Pretty will initially be supporting existing consultancy contracts including those with Manchester Metropolitan University, Lancashire County Council and Preston College.
Neal Riley specialises in providing property advice to all parts of the UK public sector, which currently includes leading DTZ's work on the government's Free Schools programme.
Heather Standidge, who has been promoted to senior consultant, joined DTZ in 2009. She will continue to advise both public and private sector clients on a range of development focused projects across the North West.
Josaphine Ford has successfully completed her APC and qualified as a chartered surveyor. She joins the team to advise on a range of clients in the education sector.
Caroline Baker, Manchester-based director of consulting said: "This appointment and trio of promotions demonstrates DTZ's confidence in Manchester's Consulting team.
"It indicates the strength and breadth of our consulting offer, which we believe is unrivalled in the market."
John Keyes, director at DTZ, added: "The fact that we are able to grow at this time reflects our continued strong reputation in advising in our core markets, including in the education sector and the local government sector."
Pretty is one of four new appointments across a range of teams in DTZ's Manchester office. David Legat joined as associate director to the retail agency team, whilst the office has also made two appointments to its residential, land and student valuation and agency team with Steve Smith joining as senior surveyor and Oliver Moorhouse as surveyor.
Mike Mitchell, managing director for the regions outside London and head of the Manchester office, said: "Ben is one of four appointments to the office, three of which, including Ben's, are for new roles and are in response to clients requiring continued quality services provided by DTZ. This is a clear indication that certain markets are improving."
