The Derwent Group has expanded and strengthened its property team with the appointment of two new staff members and an internal promotion.

Operating across the retail, leisure, industrial and commercial sectors, Derwent’s new recruits will assist in driving forward its strategy and supporting the delivery of its £100 million Edge Lane retail development in Liverpool.

Peter Gilliland has been recruited as Senior Property Manager and will report to Property Director, Jonathan Black who joined the company to head up the property team in 2014. Peter’s role will include examining service charge arrangements across the group whilst also supporting Jonathan in all aspects of his role.  Peter’s substantial retail property experience was gained at Workman LLP where, as Senior Associate, he was responsible for the entire New River portfolio encompassing 29 shopping centres, high street retail and no less than 16 retail parks at any one time.

Barry Lewis has joined the team as a Quantity Surveyor with 10 years’ of contracting QS experience under his belt gained at Laing O’Rourke. Barry has worked on projects including Stepping Hill Hospital, Gorton Education Village and the extension of the Manchester Metrolink. His responsibilities at The Derwent Group will include contract administration, financial management (commercial and contractual), as well as reviewing existing procedures and identifying potential improvements in operations.

Leanne Elkin, a chartered building surveyor, has been in the industry for over fourteen years. She joined from AA projects where she was Project Manager, focussing mainly on large scale retail projects. Leanne joined Derwent in May 2015 as a Building Surveyor, and her fantastic work for the Group has been rewarded with a promotion to Head of Project Delivery on all development and maintenance schemes.

Leanne, Peter and Barry will work across Derwent’s entire portfolio, including Liverpool Shopping Park at Edge Lane, the Junction Nine Retail Park development in Warrington and White City Retail Park in Old Trafford.

Jonathan Black, Property Director at Derwent Group said;

“The range and breadth of skills and experience that Peter, Barry and Leanne bring to the property team is fantastic. The strengthened team will assist in realising our objective of having the majority of the portfolio fully let by the end of this year and on entering the delivery phase of schemes including the £100m Liverpool Shopping Park on Edge Lane in Liverpool.”

Ends

Ends

For further information contact Justine McGuinn of Just PR & Marketing on 07903 661228 or emailjustine@justprm.co.uk.