This week's London appointments

Matt Thompson, Shaftesbury PLC

Shaftesbury PLC has announced the appointment of Matt Thompson to the newly created role of head of property insights.

The role will see him provide cross sector and consumer insights to help drive the portfolio curation strategy, as well as support the performance of Shaftesbury’s occupiers across the portfolio.

Matt joins Shaftesbury from Colliers, where most recently he was head of retail strategy.

Brian Bickell, chief executive, commented: “Matt’s in-depth understanding of our industry, its customers and domestic and international consumer trends, combined with his extensive experience, is a great addition to our skillsets and local knowledge, which enables us to continue to develop our research capabilities and evolve our highly-regarded curation strategies for our popular West End villages.”

Matt said: “I am thrilled to be joining a team that I have respected and worked closely with for some time.

“As we emerge from the pandemic disruption, I am excited to have the opportunity to build on the work Shaftesbury has been doing to support of their occupiers and contribute to shaping the future of its unrivalled West End portfolio.”

Chris Grigg, Tilney Smith & Williamson

Wealth management and professional services group Tilney Smith & Williamson has announced the appointment of Chris Grigg as chair designate.

He will join the group’s board with immediate effect and, following FCA approvals, will take over as chair from Will Samuel.

Chris brings 40 years of financial services and commercial experience to Tilney Smith & Williamson. He is chair of the newly formed UK Infrastructure Bank and is senior independent director at BAE Systems plc, where he has served on the board for the last 8 years.

Chris commented: “I am excited to be joining the board of Tilney Smith & Williamson at such a transformational time for the group.

“I will be working with Chris Woodhouse, our group CEO, and the rest of the board to ensure we deliver a great service to all our clients.”

Freddi Rose, Yobota

Next-gen core banking platform Yobota has announced the appointment of Freddi Rose as its new head of marketing and communications.

Freddi will coordinate and execute Yobota’s marketing strategies. She will play a key role in driving commercial growth, shaping the company’s narrative and voice, and supporting overall brand development.

Freddi joins from Lloyds Banking Group where she co-founded the innovative, in-house storytelling team and drove the editorial direction of inclusive, customer-centric design projects. Prior to this, Freddi led content marketing at technology firm Arm, where she was responsible for communicating complex, technical subjects to audiences of all levels.

Ammar Akhtar, CEO of Yobota, said: “As we tap into exciting new markets and strengthen our reputation within the core banking space, it’s very exciting to have Freddi join our team to lead Yobota’s marketing efforts.

“The wealth of integrated marketing experience she brings will help us to effectively convey the critical business issues that we solve, as well as communicating our success stories and the value we deliver.

“Having worked with one of the world’s leading banks, Freddi’s impressive track record for driving compelling marketing and comms strategies within our industry is a major advantage.

“She will be a real asset to us as we work with players across the banking and financial services space to bring incredible new products to life.”

Freddi added: ‘I’m delighted to be joining such an exciting company at a time when I can help deliver real value for the business and the customer, building the foundations of a dedicated, multi-faceted marketing function to showcase our offerings to a broader range of clients.“

Max Grayston and Mailat Tekle, Situu

Real estate advisory service Situu, has announced the appointment of two new members to its team.

Max Grayston, who previously worked at The Office Group (TOG), has taken on the role of office advisor and will tap into his rich experience in commercial real estate to focus on brokerage, helping companies who are looking for shorter term and more flexible solutions find new office space.

He commented: “I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Situu. Its reputation for securing deals and delivering a fantastic service is what initially attracted me to the role.

“The team’s commitment to helping businesses and landlords thrive is second-to-none and I’m excited to be a part of the fast-paced business’s next phase of growth.”

School leaver, Mailat Tekle, also an office advisor, has joined the business to learn about the industry, first hand.

Mailat will help with all aspects of the business, from office lettings and brokering service office deals, to acquiring long-term leases for clients. The ultimate goal is for Mailat to gain a thorough understanding of both markets to become an outstanding agent as well as a broker.

Peter Hall, Situu’s co-founder, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Max and Mailat to Situu.

“Max is an extremely experienced and likeable team member, both of which go a long way in our industry. He’s eager to learn from the broad experience of the founding team, and we hope to see him heading up a department of his own brokers in no time.

“Mailat has a huge hunger to learn and has already impressed us with her can-do attitude. It’s hugely refreshing that Mailat has arrived at the business with no preconceived ideas of how things ‘must be done’, and it’s an honour to work with young talent to help shape the next generation of our industry.”