Davis Langdon alumni launch rival companies

A clutch of former Davis Langdon partners are launching rival consultancy firms.

Two former partners from the QS’s Abu Dhabi office - Nick Schumann and Erland Rendall - publicly launched business and project consultant Atorus Consult on Tuesday.

Building also understands three former partners from Davis Langdon’s London office - Gerard Cook, Barry Hayden and James Clark - will this month launch a consultancy to directly rival their former employer in the capital.

The former partners left the firm in the autumn during a restructure in which 33 UK directors left through a combination of voluntary and compulsory redundancies.

We have experience of working with the best clients and with the best designers

Erland Rendall, Atorus

Rendall was a UAE-based thought leadership director, while Schumann - the former co-founder of consultant Schumann Smith - headed up specialist services for the consultant in the Middle East.

James Clark was head of the offices sector, Barry Hayden was head of corporate real estate specialising in the fit-out market and Gerard Cook was head of London specialising in the residential market.

Rendall said Atorus’ founders have more than 55 years’ combined experience in the built environment and would help clients improve management processes and to deliver BIM and “great design”. Schumann will specialise in technical project work and “design delivery”,
while Rendall will focus on business consulting.

Rendall said: “We have experience working with the best clients and with the best designers in the best way. It’s in our DNA as Davis Langdon people.”

Rendall said Atorus’s plan was to have five staff by the end of the year and 25 within five years.