Yorkshire property developer the Conroy Brook/Ben Bailey Group has appointed a new operations director.
Bryan Simpson has more than 30 years experience in the construction industry, most recently as divisional managing director at Gleeson Homes, where he was responsible for managing three regions – the Midlands, South and West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
A graduate of Sheffield Hallam University, Simpson also spent 10 years working with Gladedale in a number of senior posts, including divisional operations director, group/divisional commercial director, group commercial manager and group senior surveyor.
He said: “Over 15 years with Gleeson I was very happy to play my part in helping the company to grow in a progressive and controlled way from around 150 completions to around 2,000 and from two operating regions to six, covering much of the North of England.
“It is that level of developmental expertise that I bring to the Conroy Brook/Ben Bailey Group group as the company embarks on its latest period of expansion.”
Conroy Brook/Ben Bailey Group CEO, Richard Conroy, added: “Bryan’s many years of experience and knowledge will help us to take the business forward and give us invaluable support in developing successful strategies for growth.
“We are now well into our third decade of creating quality homes for our customers throughout Yorkshire.
“In that time we have grown from building a single first house, to now having a pipeline of major projects ahead of us in some of the best locations in the South Yorkshire region.
“Under the Conroy Brook/Ben Bailey Group brand we are looking for sustained development of the business and believe that Bryan can help us to achieve that ambition.”
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The Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) has appointed architect and sustainability leader Ste Garlick as chief executive officer and business leader Chris Iredale as chief operating officer.
This introduces a dual fractional leadership model designed to ensure both leaders remain actively engaged in professional practice while leading the organisation.
Both will continue in their existing professional roles while leading the AECB, ensuring the organisation benefits from leaders who remain actively involved in the day-to-day challenges and opportunities facing the built environment.
Garlick joins the AECB from multidisciplinary design practice BDP (Building Design Partnership), where he is the strategic and advisory lead for decarbonisation and retrofit.
An experienced architect and sustainability leader, he combines technical expertise with collaborative leadership to help organisations navigate complex sustainability challenges, adapt their buildings and estates, and build organisational resilience.
At the AECB, his focus will be on strengthening collaboration across a growing membership, building on the organisation’s evidence-based approach to building performance, and broadening its influence across the wider built environment.
Yorkshire-based Iredale brings more than 25 years’ experience founding, scaling and exiting businesses across manufacturing, retail, construction and professional services.
His career includes co-founding, growing and exiting a leading manufacturing business to more than £9m turnover, delivering 38 per cent direct sales growth for a construction group and, most recently, operating at group level across multiple businesses within The Five Rise Group, in Bingley.
He continues to run West Yorkshire-based Thriven, his fractional growth partner practice supporting founder-led and private-equity backed businesses, alongside his role at the AECB, where he will lead operational development, governance and organisational growth.
Chris Herring, former chair of the AECB and co-founder of the Passivhaus Trust, said: “Having been involved with the AECB and the Passivhaus Trust for many years, I’ve seen first-hand the value of bringing together people who are committed to improving building performance through collaboration, knowledge sharing and evidence-based practice. I believe our role has never been more important.
“Ste and Chris bring complementary strengths across technical expertise, strategy and operations. The Board is confident they will build on the AECB’s remarkable legacy, foster practical collaboration, and ensure the AECB continues to provide independent leadership for practitioners across the built environment.”
Garlick said: “The transition to a sustainable and climate-resilient built environment is an opportunity to create healthier, more adaptable, and more equitable buildings and places.
“For more than 35 years, the AECB has been at the forefront of this mission. I’m looking forward to working with our members and partners to build on that legacy, strengthen collaboration across professions and sectors, and raise standards across the built environment.”
Iredale added: “I’ve spent my career helping ambitious, founder-led businesses build the operational backbone to match their ambition.
“What struck me about the AECB is that same potential – a genuinely purposeful organisation with a strong community behind it, ready for the same kind of disciplined growth.
“I’m looking forward to bringing that experience to supporting the AECB’s members and staff as we build on what’s already been achieved.”
Garlick and Iredale will work with the AECB Board of Trustees and partner organisations, including the Passivhaus Trust, to support members and help shape the future of sustainable construction.
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Carrie d’Arcy has been appointed head of land and new homes at Leeds-based Northern Estate Agencies Group (NEAG), which owns Manning Stainton, after long-serving employee, Dawn Carrol, retired from the business earlier this year.
d’Arcy, who has more than 14 years’ property market experience, joins from Linley & Simpson where she was senior land and new homes manager, and held responsibility for overseeing the Land & New Homes division in Yorkshire.
Her new role will see her take responsibility for leading and growing the Land and New Homes division across NEAG, which is owned by LRG, and includes estate agency brands Manning Stainton, Ryder & Dutton and Mortimers.
Her focus will be on strengthening relationships with housebuilders, developers, landowners and investors, identifying new land and development opportunities, and delivering bespoke sales and marketing strategies for new developments.
She will also support and lead the 36 experienced branch teams to drive sales and increase market share of new homes across NEAG’s extensive regional patch, spanning Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Derbyshire.
d’Arcy said: “I’m excited to have joined such a well-respected business with such a strong reputation across Yorkshire and Lancashire.
“The land and new homes sector continues to face a range of challenges, but it also presents significant opportunities for those who are able to adapt to changing market conditions and buyer expectations.
“What particularly attracted me to the role is the strength of the group’s market-leading brands and the reach they provide across the north of England.
“By combining this exceptional sales network with our specialist land and new homes expertise, I am confident we can continue to deliver outstanding results for developers, landowners and homebuyers alike.
“My ambition is to build on NEAG’s already strong reputation within the sector, further strengthening our partnerships with developers and landowners across the region.”
Mark Manning, managing director of NEAG, added: “Carrie brings a wealth of experience across land acquisition and new homes sales and marketing, together with a strong network of relationships built over many years within the property sector.
“A key part of her role will be working closely with developers from land acquisition through to sales completion, helping to maximise development values and ensuring our clients receive exceptional advice and service throughout the development lifecycle. We look forward to seeing her make her mark across the region.”
Northern Estate Agencies Group is part of LRG, and owns Manning Stainton, Ryder & Dutton and Mortimers. It has a 36-branch network spanning Yorkshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Derbyshire.
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A Yorkshire law firm is expanding its team in Leeds and investing in a recruitment drive for its city centre office.
LCF Law expanded into its 6,000 sq ft office on Park Place in 2020, where a team of 40 are now based; and is investing in increasing its visibility in Leeds city centre, with the installation of 10 branded 2.8m metre high flags along two of Leeds’ busiest streets.
The increased profile comes during a sustained period of growth for the practice. LCF Law has recruited 26 new team members since the start of the year, which takes its total headcount to 149 across its offices in Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and Ilkley.
Ragan Montgomery, managing partner, said: “Leeds is an incredibly important city for our business, and we’re committed to continuing our investment here.
“As we’ve grown, we’ve recognised that although we have a strong presence in Leeds, we haven’t had the visibility in the city centre that reflects the scale of our business or our ambitions.
“Installing these flags is a way of increasing our profile and demonstrating our long-term commitment to Leeds. We’re continuing to recruit talented people, invest in our teams and support businesses across the city and the wider region, so it’s important that our presence better reflects who we are today.
“Our recent growth, the launch of our values and being recognised once again as one of the UK’s best places to work all demonstrate the direction the firm is heading.
“We want people across Leeds to increasingly recognise LCF Law as a Leeds law firm that is investing in the city and its future.”
