The head of retail for one of the Midlands' largest property consultancies who worked on the development of the Merry Hill centre is to retire at the end of 2015 after almost four decades in the industry.

Paul Brewer, who has been Bilfinger GVA's head of retail in the Midlands for more than over 25 years, will step down in December after working on some of the most high-profile property projects in the region.

A fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Mr Brewer forged his career in Birmingham and London before returning to the Midlands as branch manager of Shipway, Doble and Earle, dealing with residential sales and auctioning chattels and antiques.

He joined the Birmingham retail department of Bilfinger GVA, then called Grimley & Sons, in 1979 and has worked on a number of significant retail developments throughout the region.

These included the Royal Priors Shopping Centre in Leamington Spa, Pallasades and Arcadian in Birmingham city centre and the regeneration of Castle Vale Shopping Centre and Fort Dunlop in the north of the city.

Mr Brewer acted as a development adviser for local authorities across the Midlands and these relationships led to his appointment on town centre schemes including Abbey Gates in Evesham, Weavers Wharf in Kidderminster and the recent creation of Southwater in Telford.

He has also delivered instructions for high-profile national clients including the acquisition or extensions of seven major department stores for James Beattie, now House of Fraser, the acquisition of 200 shops nationwide for the predecessor of charity Cancer Research UK and the disposal of 100 Halifax Building Society branches.

He said: "Over the last 36 years, I have been very fortunate to enjoy working with a number of great clients and colleagues on many significant retail developments and high profile high street instructions.

"It's been very rewarding to have advised clients and see their initial concepts become reality.

"When I joined Grimley and Son those many years ago, there were no more than 100 people in the company but now as Bilfinger GVA there are 65,000 worldwide.

"The UK retail market is exciting and dynamic with fast changing trends but it is also a small world in terms of the clients and agents that you get to know.

"Over the years, there have been a number of people who started their careers working for me who have gone on to either set up niche practices across the city or joined retail or development companies - and we are still doing deals together."

Mr Brewer will officially retire at the end of the year but will continue to provide consultancy services for the delivery of a number of ongoing instructions.

He will be succeeded in the role by director Alastair Robertson-Dunn who has extensive experience in the provision of complex retail schemes across a broad range of clients.