Balbinder Sohal, Seven Capital
Wherever you see a crane in Birmingham city centre, the chances are there is a Seven Capital project beneath it. The Colmore Row-based company is embarking on a fast-growing portfolio of city centre developments. Balbinder Sohal is chairman and chief executive of Seven as well as an investor in numerous other companies.
He has been involved in many high-profile and complex transactions, particularly in hospitality and real estate.
Neil Edginton, EDG Property
Neil Edginton is managing director of EDG Property. He and the EDG group of companies have been instrumental in changing the landscape of Birmingham with major regeneration projects including The Cube, The Mailbox and Fort Dunlop. He provides asset management, development and construction services to leading banks and some of the UK’s largest funds. He is chairman of the Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
Glenn Howells, architect
Glenn Howells Architects is based in Birmingham city centre, with a studio in London. It was set up by Glenn Howells 25 years ago. It has been involved in the design of several complex and ambitious projects including Paradise in the civic heart of Birmingham, and the transformation of the Eastside. He sits on the board of the Ikon Gallery and the advisory board of Birmingham Hippodrome and was a member of the 2012 Olympics design review committee.
Bob Ghosh, K4 Architects
Bob Ghosh, who studied architecture at Leicester and Birmingham Schools of Architecture, is a director of Fazeley Street-based K4 Architects. His practice is working on a number of prestige commissions including the rebirth of Mere Green town centre. He has completed major projects in Manchester, London and Yorkshire as well as Birmingham, and has also worked on mainland European projects.
He is on the board of Edible Eastside (Community Garden) in Digbeth.
Jan Thompson, JLL
Jan Thompson is regional chairman of city centre property consultants JLL - based in Church Street. Previously known as Jones Lang LaSalle, the consultancy has grown over the years and in 2011 acquired King Sturge. Jan Thompson’s areas of expertise included tenant representation and corporate solutions. He was previously chair of the Birmingham Office Agents Forum.
Anthony McCourt, Court Collaboration
Anthony McCourt was part of leading the £92 million Cube out of administration in 2010 on behalf of Lloyds Banking Group. Originally qualified as a solicitor, he has since helped launch Roar, a commercial voice and data company, as well as running Court Collaboration, a property development and investment vehicle. He founded Birmingham’s first Enterprise Academy in 2009 and was chair of Birmingham Leadership Foundation.
Paul Bassi CBE, REI
Chief executive of influential and successful AIM-listed Real Estate Investors, Paul Bassi set up his first property company in 1983, creating Bond Wolfe. He is the eldest son of a Black Country foundry worker, and was awarded a CBE in 2010 for services to business and the West Midlands community. His previous roles include High Sheriff of the West Midlands, president of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, regional chairman of Coutts Bank and a director of Birmingham Hippodrome.
Rob Groves, Argent
Rob Groves, regional director at Argent Services LLP is, as the firm’s senior project director, responsible for the Paradise Circus project – a joint venture with Birmingham City Council involving the mixed-use development of two million sq ft. He has more than 30 years of experience in planning, design and construction. He joined Argent in 2007.
Sir Euan Anstruther-Gough Calthorpe, Calthorpe Estates
Sir Euan Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe’s stated aim is to ensure that the Calthorpe Estate is a superb place in which to live and work, just a mile west of the city centre. Sir Euan has worked closely with the management team of Calthorpe Estates and the board of trustees to develop the Edgbaston estate sympathetically, and in a sustainable way. The Estate has been overseen by Sir Euan’s family – one of the oldest in Birmingham – since 1717. Throughout that time the family refused to allow factories or warehouses to be built within the Estate, so creating a high quality urban village, and leading to the area’s high property values.
Steve Dodd, Elevate
Property entrepreneur Steve Dodd is founder of Henley-in-Arden based Elevate Property Group. Elevate has strategic interests in residential development land, construction and new homes projects, largely in and around Warwickshire. Projects have included Papillon Hall in Ullenhall, Wells House in Malvern, and the former Gallagher family home – St Bernard’s Grange in Solihull.
