Comings & Goings

Savills appoints Stewart Harrison as head of department in its Wimbledon office

Savills has appointed Stewart Harrison as head of department in its Wimbledon office, which forms part of the firms south west London Parks region.

With over 15 years of experience in the property industry, Stewart brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong reputation across West and South West London.

He began his career at Featherstone Leigh, rising from negotiator in the Chiswick office to leading the Parsons Green and Battersea branches. Most recently, he held the position of Head of Sales at John D Wood’s Wandsworth office, where he played a key role in securing several record-breaking transactions.

In his new role as associate director at Savills, Harrison will focus on the sale of flats and family homes up to £2 million, with a clear mandate to grow market share and strengthen the firm’s presence in Wimbledon Town, Raynes Park, Southfields, Wimbledon village and beyond.

Harrison joins with a proven track record in selling some of South West London’s most prestigious and high-value properties. He will also collaborate closely with colleagues in neighbouring offices including Barnes, Richmond and Teddington, as well as Savills’ lettings division and global network.

Harrison said: “I’m passionate about the [Wimbledon] area and excited to leverage my local insight to drive growth and expand our market share. I look forward to building on Savills’ strong reputation by fostering lasting relationships with our clients and delivering exceptional results.”

Cory Askew, head of Savills Wimbledon and Parks region, added: “Stewart brings with him an impressive track record in residential sales and a detailed understanding of the local market. At Savills, we’re committed to having highly experienced specialists embedded across the capital, and Stewart’s expertise makes him a valuable addition to our Parks region. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the team and look forward to building on the continued success of our Wimbledon sales business.”

Wilfords London confirms senior appointments amid new branch openings

Wilfords London has announced a series of senior appointments across its sales, lettings, marketing and operations teams. The hires follow the successful opening of the firm’s Abbeville Village branch last month and come ahead of the launch of a new Barnes office, which is set to open later this year.

Since opening its first branch in Kensington & Chelsea, the independent estate agency has steadily built a strong presence across London, adding a Battersea & Wandsworth branch to serve South West London, and most recently expanding into Abbeville Village in Clapham. The forthcoming Barnes office will be the agency’s fourth location, underlining its strategy to grow in select markets where local expertise and a personal approach resonate strongly with clients.

At the forefront of the new hires is Freddie Wright, appointed Head of Sales for at Wilford’s Kensington & Chelsea branch. Freddie brings extensive experience from Butler Sherborne and, prior to that, Knight Frank, where he advised high-net-worth clients on prime and super-prime transactions. At Wilfords, he will lead the sales strategy across Prime Central London, one of the world’s most prominent property markets.

A pivotal appointment for the newly opened Abbeville Village branch is Jessica Burns, who joins as Lettings Manager. Jessica, formerly of Aspire, brings in-depth experience managing rental portfolios and client relationships. She will be responsible for building the lettings business in Abbeville Village, an area where strong tenant demand is matched by a competitive landlord market.

Grace Turnbull has been appointed Head of Marketing, arriving with a background in agency, developer-side and purpose-built student accommodation, where she spearheaded campaigns and brand identity. Grace will be responsible for developing Wilfords’ marketing and communications strategy across all branches, ensuring the firm’s independent brand continues to stand out and attract new audiences.

Meanwhile, Chris Tuck joins as Head of Client Services, following his tenure at James Pendleton / Chestertons. Chris is well-regarded for his commitment to client care and will focus on ensuring that Wilfords maintains its reputation for outstanding service as the company expands. His role will span sales and lettings, supporting branches to deliver a seamless client experience.

In addition, Sara El Saied has joined as Office Manager in Abbeville Village, having previously worked at Foxtons. Sara’s operational expertise will ensure the smooth running of the branch and support its continued growth.

The new hires come as Wilfords pursues a focused growth strategy. The Abbeville Village office in Clapham, opened in September, has already attracted strong interest from both buyers and tenants, reflecting the neighbourhood’s appeal to young families and professionals drawn to its village atmosphere and green spaces. The office complements Wilfords’ established Battersea & Wandsworth branch, which has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

Looking ahead, the company is preparing to launch its Barnes branch, further extending its footprint into another highly desirable riverside community. The expansion reinforces Wilfords’ ambition to build a network of boutique offices rooted in their local neighbourhoods, while supported by the wider brand’s resources and reputation.

Geoff Wilford, founder of Wilfords London, commented: “From our first branch in Kensington to our thriving office in Battersea, the recent launch in Abbeville Village and our upcoming opening in Barnes, Wilfords has always been about growing in places where we can make a real difference for our clients. Each new branch has been chosen carefully, based on where we know our independent model of personal service and deep local expertise will resonate.

“The appointments of Freddie, Grace, Jessica, Chris and Sara come at exactly the right time. They bring not only impressive credentials but also fresh energy and ambition. What makes Wilfords different is that we are not trying to be a faceless corporate giant. Clients are looking for agencies that know their neighbourhoods, understand the nuance of each market and can offer real, personal advice. The independent model is coming back into its own. People want to deal with experienced agents they trust, not a faceless machine. Our expansion proves there is huge appetite for that approach.

“Growth for us is not about chasing volume or flooding the market; it is about being selective, thoughtful and building branches that feel like part of their communities. With the talent we now have in place and our pipeline of new offices, I am more confident than ever that we are building something sustainable, resilient and exciting.”

Barratt David Wilson Homes appoints new managing director for North Thames region

Watford-based housebuilder Barratt David Wilson North Thames has appointed a new Managing Director to lead the division’s next period of growth.

Bill Beyzade will be responsible for overall management and strategic direction as the division seeks to significantly increase delivery in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire growing its build programme from over 400 homes to 750 homes per annum within the next five years.

Bill was appointed following a six-year period as Managing Director at Durkan Homes. Bill commenced his journey into housebuilding 25 years ago as a Management Trainee at Laing Homes working his way through various departments before specialising in pre-development focusing on land acquisition and planning.

Bill has held senior roles in the North Home Counties area for over a decade as a Land & Planning Director at both CALA Homes and Taylor Wimpey and brings a wealth of local knowledge having been involved in numerous projects in the areas the Division operates in.

Bill comments: “The North Thames division is one to watch over the next few years, as we will launch over a dozen new developments across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. Our pipeline focuses on a mix of strategic, large-scale sites that will put community infrastructure and access to green spaces at the heart of our plans. Our medium sized developments will also provide much needed sustainable and high-quality open market and affordable homes in areas that have under delivered for many years. My previous experience has seen me lead land and planning strategies with volume housebuilders to deliver many successful new communities in conjunction with key stakeholders in the North Home Counties, alongside growing and overseeing operations with an SME Regional Housebuilder for the past six years.

“Whilst we strive to build much needed quality homes that the country requires, the North Thames Division continues to lead and support both early learning opportunities into the industry with many different options open to all, be it apprenticeship, high national diploma and graduate schemes. The Division has seen great results over the years through this approach with a number of the Senior Management team progressing their careers through this route within the Division.

“With the desire to be the housebuilder of choice in the areas we operate the Division will maintain its focus on engagement with local communities and charities. The North Thames Division is immensely proud to be supporting Electric Umbrella as our charity of the year for the second year running and are looking to surpass the £87,000 raised last year.”