Avison Young strengthens its real estate, facilities, and infrastructure management business group

Global real estate firm Avison Young UK has announced a series of senior appointments in its Real Estate, Facilities, and Infrastructure Management (REFIM) Business Group. These new hires reflect the company’s commitment to enhancing delivery service and driving innovation across its operations.

Derick Jackson has been appointed as Regional Head of London and Southeast, Real Estate Management, to lead the team, while continuing in his role as Head of National Clients. Jackson has been at Avison Young for 25 years and until recently led management teams across the Northeast and Scotland regions from the Newcastle office. He has a wealth of experience in both agency and property management, working across both public and private sector clients. This includes the 10-acre East Pilgrim Street site in central Newcastle, through all phases of this large regeneration scheme from site acquisition to development stages over a period of 20 years.

Helen Ewles has been appointed as Regional Head for the Northeast and Scotland. With 17 years at Avison Young, Ewles managed a range of properties and played a key role in the East Pilgrim Street redevelopment in Newcastle. In her new role, she will build on the successful development of the team and strengthen the regional offering.

Heather Hill joins the firm as Head of Transitions, with over 23 years of experience in property management and finance. Hill previously worked for Cushman & Wakefield, where she managed transitions of service-charged properties. Prior to this, at Pennycuick Collins, she led a team of ten as Head of Client Accounting. Based in Birmingham, Hill will focus on improving processes, meeting deadlines, and leveraging IT solutions to drive efficiency.

Brian Reeves has been appointed as Director, Occupier Facilities Management, bringing 26 years of experience across a diverse range of sectors. Previously, Reeves held senior roles at EMI, The Design Museum, CBRE, and leading UK wide FM services across L&G’s Build-To-Rent sector. He will lead the Star Pubs account team, focusing on client communications, reporting, and driving growth.

James Callow and Martin McGrath join the firm as Regional Workplace Experience Managers. Callow has been appointed to the North, bringing a wealth of experience with over seven years in property management. He joins the firm from Derwent London, where he successfully led Front of House services and occupier engagement strategies. McGrath has been appointed to the South, with over 13 years of experience at Nuffield Health, where he held senior roles in customer experience, operational management, and service delivery. He has a proven track record in driving customer service excellence, overseeing revenue and retention across multiple locations.

This series of appointments also marks the expansion of Engage, Avison Young’s Destination Marketing service, to include Workplace Experience. This offer enhances the firm’s ability to deliver a fully integrated proposition, including occupier engagement, events and communications, workplace experience management, and tailored customer service solutions, ensuring even greater value for clients.

Tony Burchett, Principal and Managing Director of Real Estate, Facilities & Infrastructure Management at Avison Young said: “These appointments signal an exciting chapter in the capability and focus of our Business Group. Through investment in individuals who bring extensive expertise and passion for innovation, we are further strengthening our ability to deliver exceptional service to our clients. Each bring a unique skill set and perspective that will play a key role in driving the continued success of our Real Estate, Facilities, and Infrastructure Management services.”