Listed property firm Real Estate Investors has recruited Andrew Osborne to spearhead the company's programme of acquisitions and disposals.

Mr Osborne was most recently senior asset manager at Square Metre Properties in London and has previously worked for Reef Property Asset Management, Highcross, Kenmore and Mason Philips where he began his career as a surveyor.

He is also a former board member of the Investment Property Forum in the West Midlands.

Real Estate Investors has had a busy first half of 2014, completing a trio deals last month, including the acquisition of Sandwell College, while in April it bought the original home of Midland Bank.

It has spent £8 million so far on property transactions but said it had identified potential opportunities which would see spending top the £20 million mark by the end of 2014.

Mr Osborne said: "I am joining REI at a very busy time with the company poised to continue its programme of growth in the Midlands region.

"I will be supporting the chief executive Paul Bassi in identifying and evaluating investment opportunities as well as identifying properties in REI's portfolio which are ripe for sale."

In other appointments, Birmingham-based consultancy GBR Phoenix Beard has bolstered its asset management team with a trio of new recruits following an expansion in client instructions.

The additions come on the back of the firm having secured long-term reappointments to management contracts for two UK fund mandates in April.

Australian Ben Crough has joined as an associate director, having relocated to the UK owing to family commitments.

He previously worked for Asciano, a top 50 Australian Stock Exchange company where he was responsible for the Pacific National Rail property portfolio.

Rakesh Joshi is GBR's latest graduate surveyor recruit while Chris Thompson has been appointed as a property administrator, having previously worked for iSoft in a financial analyst role.