NEWS ARCHIVE

TARGETFOLLOW STRENGTHENS TOP TEAM WITH MORE APPOINTMENTS | 23/05/08

Property group Targetfollow has announced more top-level appointments aimed at strengthening its management team and expanding services to its businesses across the UK and in Europe.

The announcement of three new directors – Peter Withers, Paul Morgan and Cheryl Harper – follows recent boardroom changes which saw Ardeshir Naghshineh, owner and founder of the Norfolk-based group, becoming executive chairman, with Ian Fox and Vanessa Fletcher being promoted to joint managing directors.

Peter Withers (Facilities Management) and Paul Morgan (Technology) are now being brought in to develop Targetfollow’s FM and technology departments as the group looks at expanding services beyond its own portfolio of properties.

Associate director Cheryl Harper has been promoted to Director – Finance to head the group’s skilled finance department, following the promotion of Vanessa Fletcher from group finance director to joint managing director.

Targetfollow Group expects to announce further senior appointments shortly.

Mr Fox, managing director (property and development), said: “This highly professional team of people will complement our robust property portfolio. One of the many strengths of Targetfollow is that whilst it is a property and development company, this is heavily underpinned by our support teams. Currently we only service our own buildings but we hope to be able to offer external services in the future, based on Targetfollow’s expertise and reputation for high quality.”

Targetfollow’s property portfolio contains the famous Centre Point office tower in London, Baskerville House in Birmingham and Tolworth Tower in Surbiton. Its most recent deal was January’s £11 million acquisition of The Pantiles, the elegant colonnade in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Peter Withers will join in July as Director – Facilities Management from Jones Lang LaSalle where he is currently Director, Property and Facilities Management Advisory Services.

He has been responsible for providing consultancy services to blue-chip organisations across Europe including the implementation of new FM contracts, sustainability strategies, business process reviews, procurement and organisational strategies.

His main responsibilities at Targetfollow will be to head the facilities management team and personnel based on multiple sites throughout the UK and Europe.

“This appointment represents a major advance in our strategy to improve our already successful track record in the delivery of first-class, responsive and value-added customer services and facilities management to our occupiers across our investment portfolio, and to enhance the Targetfollow brand and our relationships with our customers,” said Mr Fox.

He said Mr Withers would also help to build on the success of Targetspace, which provides high quality serviced offices in London and Birmingham.

Paul Morgan will become Director – Technology at the end of June. He joins Targetfollow from GTECH Corporation where he has worked since 1997. GTECH Corporation is a leading global information technology company providing software, network and services for the world’s lottery and gaming markets.

Since 2000 he has held the position of technology director (Technology Process Group), responsible for developing and implementing a strategy to improve the company’s system delivery processes.

“Paul’s primary role at Targetfollow will be to drive the implementation of a technology strategy that will help to make the business a leader in its chosen markets and deliver the best possible service to our tenants,” said Mr Fox.

Regarding Miss Harper’s promotion, Vanessa Fletcher, managing director (finance), said: “In the six years that Cheryl has been with Targetfollow, she has proved to be a first-class accountant and manager with exactly the kind of skills and energy needed to head a dynamic finance department. She has been heavily involved in all aspects of the financial management of the group over the years but with particular emphasis on bank refinancings and acquisitions.”