Property agents to expand project management arms

Commercial property agents are muscling in on the project management business by expanding their PM operations and poaching staff from PM and QS companies.

CB Richard Ellis, Drivers Jonas and Jones Lang LaSalle appear to be leading the charge.

Drivers Jonas is planning to expand both its London and regional project management operations.

The firm employs 30 PMs in offices in Birmingham, Glasgow and London.

The vast majority of them are in the London branch, which has just taken on architect Ian Beach, formerly of Pringle Brandon.

He will work in the PM team as an associate partner.

Gary Cardin, head of the Birmingham office, revealed plans to develop a “dedicated project management team” in the city.

The Birmingham PM operation currently consists of two staff, Julian Record and Jeremy Bragg.

Cardin said: “We do see PM as a growing area and our long-term goal is to have a dedicated project management team in each regional office. These teams will supply and supplement our high profile team

in the London Grosvenor office. We are currently looking at growing the Birmingham PM team.”

They get to work on a wider range of projects, often with a commercial edge

Gary Cadin, Drivers Jonas

He added that project managers often preferred working for commercial property agents rather than PM or QS firms because they experienced more variety: “They get to work on a wider range of projects, often with a commercial edge. They also work with a wider range of people, such as planning teams or development teams.”

CB Richard Ellis, meanwhile, has taken on Nick Lambert as a director in its PM team of 21 staff. He joins from Donaldsons, the surveyor and property consultant, and will report to David Hitchcock, managing director of the firm’s management consultancy group.

Hitchcock said: “We are building up the PM team. We are constantly looking for people, especially at senior level.”

The company is the project manager on the Alsop Architects-designed Palestra building next to Southwark tube station, London.

It previously project managed the construction of the Lloyds Building in London, designed by Richard Rogers.

Hitchcock added that project management was often the lead service for clients that go on to ask for other services, such as acquisitions, disposals and facilities management. The firm offers PM services to property developers, overseas clients in need of a UK representative and the public sector.

JLL is also hiring PM experts.

It has lured David Brown from Trench Farrow to lead its 30-strong PM team and it is poised to hire at least two further PM specialists. Brown’s remit is to grow the project management department and roll out its services to new client groups, such as tenants looking to acquire new properties.

JLL recently won a PM role on a £25m new build and fit-out project for Microsoft in Reading. The firm is also working on a fit-out job for Bank of America in Canary Wharf.