Senior appointments to drive growth at Naismiths

National real estate consultancy Naismiths has made two senior appointments to accelerate its growth. 

Michelle Heaselgrave joins as director of people and talent, bringing over 30 years of experience. 

She will refine HR processes following Naismiths’ partnership with Edmond Shipway under the Cornerstone Group. 

Michelle has previously worked at Mercia Asset Management PLC and will help drive growth and consistency across the firm.

She said: “Having worked with companies of different sizes, both publicly and privately owned, this is a real opportunity to make a difference within an expanding business. 

“Joining a people-centric and ambitious team is important to me and I am looking forward to building new relationships, understanding more about the sector and creating an exceptional people experience for our team here. 

“When an organisation doubles in size rapidly, as Naismiths and Edmond Shipway have, you need specialist skills and experience, building on the successful foundations in place but also ensuring there is commonality across the group. 

“This will mean not just a review and refinement of the systems we have in place, but also the development of our people plan, which recognises the value and contributions of the team in making this a great business.” 

Meanwhile, Theo Kidman has been appointed associate director in the project monitoring division. 

He will manage technical risks across a variety of projects from Naismiths’ London office. 

Theo brings seven years of experience, including work on loan schemes up to £200 million at Arcadis.

Theo added: “My prior experience covers most asset types, including logistics, student accommodation, residential and infrastructure, so I feel well suited to expand on the solid foundations already in place at Naismiths. 

“I’m looking forward to helping unlock further growth pathways for the business into large funded projects, while building my leadership skills and evolving our capabilities within the built environment.” 

Naismiths operates in eight UK cities and is known for its modern yet mature approach to real estate consultancy.

Ben Harwood, chief executive at Cornerstone Group, added: “Michelle and Theo join at opposite ends of the services spectrum within our business, but both will play a crucial role as we expand our national footprint and evolve our company processes as a group. 

“This is an exciting period for the firm, with an ambitious and highly skilled team operating across a project portfolio that is as strong as it has ever been.

“We look forward to integrating Michelle and Theo more closely and evolving our culture of continuous improvement.” 

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