Developer on march as it expands senior team
APROPERTY group in Birmingham has expanded its senior team following a series of appointments and promotions.
The move by Cordia Blackswan has brought its payroll up to 17 members of staff at its base in the Jewellery Quarter, with plans for further growth this year as it acquires new sites for development.
Ben Marton has been promoted from finance manager to finance director.
He joined the company a year ago and has a wealth of experience gained in previous roles as corporate finance manager at Student Roost and over six years working in audit at firms including BDO and PwC.
Alexa Woodward is Cordia’s new head of design.
She brings experience of designing and delivering on a number of projects across Birmingham including the redevelopment of the Rotunda and The Exchange in Broad Street, previously known as the Municipal Bank, as well as contributing to Birmingham
City Council’s design, conservation and heritage panel.
In the property development team, Cordia Blackswan has added two new faces which will lead on projects from site acquisition to completion.
Catherine Howe has joined as project manager, having previously held the same role at Projex Buildings Solutions and Turner and Townsend.
Abita Robinson is the firm’s new development surveyor and has a wealth of experience under his belt, with previous roles at West Midlands Combined Authority and Citizen.
Completing the new appointments is Ravinder Khatkar as the company’s legal manager, bringing experience from spells with law firms Eversheds Sutherland and Wright Hassall, particularly in the residential and commercial property sectors.
Cordia Blackswan is currently involved in a string of residential schemes in Birmingham, with a focus on the Jewellery Quarter including Gilders Yard, The Lamp Works and The Gothic, all in Great Hampton Street.
It also recently acquired a 1.89acre site in Digbeth where it is working to deliver a build-to-rent scheme containing 366 apartments.
The company said it had an ambition to deliver a pipeline of 2,500 residential and commercial units in the West Midlands over the next five years.
Managing director Marcus Hawley said: “After a strong first half of 2021 and a series of new appointments earlier in the year, we are thrilled that the Cordia Blackswan team is continuing to strengthen and grow.
“Our new additions bring a wealth of knowledge to our team of placemaking experts, so it’s great to have them on board.
“With our project to transform Great Hampton Street into an appealing, contemporary urban setting in the planning stage, it’s crucial that we have a strong and experienced team to support the execution of our vision.
“The strategic growth of our team allows us to do this and to continue to expand our work in providing much-needed housing to support the city’s growth.”