Shillaw departs MAG for Town Centre Securities

Lynda Shillaw, chief executive of Manchester Airports Group’s property division, has left the company after four years to join Town Centre Securities as property director.

Shillaw will replace Richard Lewis, Town Centre Securities’ current property director, who will retire after around 18 years at the company. She will join TCS’ board on 5 November this year.

During her time at Manchester Airports Group, Shillaw has helped to lead the emergence of the £1bn Airport City around Manchester Airport, with four hotels now due to start construction in the next 12 months. Planning applications for two new-build offices at the site are due to follow later this summer.

Her previous roles include director of real estate at Scottish Widows; managing director and global head of corporate estate at Lloyds Banking Group; managing director of Co-Operative Estates; and director of property at BT. She is also a non-executive director of the Crown Estate and housing association Vivid.

Charlie Cornish, chief executive of Manchester Airport Group, said the company was “now in the process” of recruiting Shillaw’s replacement.

“I would like to thank Lynda for her service to MAG over the last four years. Under her leadership the MAG Property business has gone from strength to strength and she also played a key role in establishing the successful Airport City Manchester Joint Venture.

“Lynda has played an important role as a member of MAG’s executive committee throughout a period of strong and consistent growth for the company. I would like to wish Lynda all the best in her new role at Town Centre Securities.”

Although headquartered in Leeds, Town Centre Securities has a presence in Manchester and beyond, and is currently developing a number of projects in the Piccadilly Basin, including the nine-storey Dakota Deluxe hotel on Ducie Street.

In May this year, the company also purchased the 33,000 sq ft Ducie House for £9m from previous owner Urban Splash.

Edward Ziff, chairman and chief executive of Town Centre Securities, said: “We are delighted to have recruited someone with the calibre and reputation of Lynda Shillaw to join Town Centre Securities. We believe that Lynda’s breadth of investment and development experience, combined with her past involvement in real estate financing will be invaluable as we embark on the next stage of the company’s growth, including undertaking the most significant development pipeline in TCS’s history.

“We are confident that Lynda’s passion for delivery combined with her reputation and knowledge will make her a powerful new addition to the TCS team.”

“On behalf of the board, I would like to personally thank Richard Lewis for his long-standing commitment to Town Centre Securities. Richard’s contribution has been invaluable, notably with some of our most significant schemes, beginning with the construction and sale of No1 Whitehall Riverside in Leeds, the continued development of Piccadilly Basin in Manchester, and most recently the re-development of Merrion House in Leeds.

“We wish Richard a long, happy, and healthy retirement.”

Shillaw added: “After four years at MAG Property, where I have worked with a brilliant team to transform the property business into a recognised brand and deliver a credible pipeline of deals at Airport City Manchester, the chance to join Town Centre Securities, who are an established and successful property company, as its new property and main board director is an exciting career opportunity and I am really looking forward to joining the team.

 “I wish all the team at MAG the very best for the future and will continue to watch keenly the next phase of development at Airport City.”