People on the Move – 13 October 2015
DEXUS makes changes to executive team; new CIO at Federation Centres; Rigby Cooke Lawyers gains new partner; JLL expands its sales and investments division; dwp|suters creates new COO position; CBRE appoints leader of Workplace Strategy team; WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff expands in Melbourne; and Savills promotes director for CBD and Metropolitan Sales.
DEXUS Property Group has announced several changes to it executive general management team. Craig Mitchell will pass his role as chief financial officer (CFO) to Alison Harrop in order to expand his duties as chief operating officer (COO). Mitchell will assume additional responsibility for improving the performance of DEXUS’s balance sheet assets and he will continue to lead the third party funds management business, the retail property portfolio and the technology function in his role as executive director and COO. Harrop has been deputy CFO since January 2015. She was previously general manager, Group Finance at Westpac and CFO at Australia Post.
As well as these changes, the DEXUS Development and Trading team will now report directly to Ross Du Vernet, executive general manager, Strategy, Transactions & Research.
Michael O’Brien is the new chief investment officer of Federation Centres and will also be a member of the group’s executive committee. O’Brien previously held senior roles at GPT Group, including group executive – Corporate Development, chief operating officer and chief financial officer. Prior to this he worked at Lendlease in several positions including chief executive officer of Lendlease Retail.
Michael Loterzo has joined Melbourne-based Rigby Cooke Lawyers as a partner in its Corporate and Commercial Group with a focus on construction. Loterzo has held senior roles with Grocon and Leighton Contractors.
JLL has expanded its NSW Metro Sales and Investments team with the appointment of Michael Binskin, as associate director. Binskin joins JLL from Cushman & Wakefield and held previous positions at CBRE Asia Pacific and John Hill & Co.
Rebecca Quinn is taking on the newly created position of chief operating officer at architecture firm dwp|suters. She will be responsible for all head office functions of HR, marketing, BIM, IT and all business systems, allowing CEO Leone Lorrimer to focus on business development, client relationships, international networks and sector development.
Sadie Davidson has joined the WA office of the Property Council of Australia as communications advisor. Davidson has previously worked in journalism at the WA-based publications Miningoilgas and Builders Choice magazines.
CBRE has appointed Matt Strudwick to lead its Workplace Strategy team in the Pacific, part of a 40-person Asia Pacific team of specialist workplace consultants. Strudwick was previously the Business Transformation Change lead for Sydney Trains, following senior roles with Veldhoen + Company and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA).
Niall Cunningham has joined the Melbourne office of WSP Parsons|Brinckerhoff as principal, Development Management. Cunningham has experience in large-scale master planning and urban design, with particular focus on brownfield developments.
Savills Australia’s Victorian office has promoted Julian Heatherich to the role of director, CBD & Metropolitan Sales. He has been with Savills for two years.
The Robina Group has appointed Sharon Scholfield to the sales for its newest project on the Gold Coast, Boheme Apartments and Botanique Terrace Homes.