Nicholson spearheads Kier’s property search

James Nicholson, who oversaw the development of One St Peter's Square in Manchester for Argent, has been taken on by Kier Construction's property division.

Nicholson has been appointed senior development manager and will work across the North West identifying development opportunities for the Bedfordshire-based group.

He told Place: "I've been employed to find new development opportunities across the North West. There's a lot to go at.

"It's opportunity led and market driven but there's a will there from the Kier Group to invest in property for development purposes with a view to turn around schemes that are viable."

He will be looking at a range of opportunities from office and retail to leisure and industrial, and will report to Tom Gillman, director of Kier Property in Boston Spa, West Yorkshire.

There are around 35 people working at Kier's property arm, but most of them are in London. Nicholson, who will be based in Manchester and Liverpool, is the business's only development manager in the North West.