Birmingham-based property developer, Cordia Blackswan has reported a year-on-year growth of the business by 143%.
The expansion of the business size demonstrates the developer’s commitment and return on its unique approach to create outstanding places to live.
The company has made four recent new appointments and an internal promotion to strengthen its senior leadership team. This brings the Cordia Blackswan team up to 17 members, with plans for further growth in the new year as it acquires new sites for development.
The senior leadership team has been bolstered with the promotion of Ben Marton from Finance Manager to Finance Director. Ben has been with the company since January 2021 and has a wealth of experience gained in previous roles as Corporate Finance Manager at Student Roost, and over six years working in audit at firms including BDO and PWC.
The appointment of Alexa Woodward as Head of Design broadens and diversifies the developer’s offering. Cordia Blackswan is committed to truly great people centric design and Alexa brings a vast experience of designing and delivering innovative and contemporary design, while understanding the real value and benefits high-quality design can have on our environments and communities.
Alexa has a real passion for creating unique and inspiring spaces which reflect Birmingham’s diversity and history and has worked on a number of the city’s most notable projects. This includes the redevelopment of the Rotunda, The Exchange (Former Municipal Bank) as well as contributing the Birmingham City Councils Design, Conservation and Heritage Panel.
In the property development team, Cordia Blackswan have made two crucial hires that will lead key projects from site acquisition to completion. Catherine Howe has joined as Project Manager, where she previously held this role at Projex Buildings Solutions and Turner and Townsend. Abita Robinson has joined the team as Development Surveyor and has a wealth of experience under his belt, with previous roles at West Midlands Combined Authority and Citizen.
Ravinder Khatkar also joins the company as Legal Manager from Eversheds Sutherland and Wright Hassall LLP, with vast experience of working in both the residential and commercial property sector.
Cordia Blackswan has an ambition to deliver a pipeline of 2,500 residential and commercial units in the West Midlands in the next five years, supporting the growth of the region.
This is being led with the regeneration of Great Hampton Street, which Cordia Blackswan are transforming into an appealing urban setting with support from Jewellery Quarter BID. The team are based in the centre of the action, at their head office at The Bank, 22a Great Hampton Street.
As well as working within the Jewellery Quarter, the developer is expanding to other parts of the city. It recently announced its acquisition of a 1.89-acre site in Digbeth, where it is working to deliver an exciting build-to-rent scheme formed of 366 apartments.
Marcus Hawley, Managing Director at Cordia Blackswan, said: “After a strong first half of 2021 and a series of new appointments earlier in the year, we are thrilled that the Cordia Blackswan team is continuing to strengthen and grow. Our new additions bring a wealth of knowledge to our team of placemaking experts, so it’s great to have them on board.
“With our project to transform Great Hampton Street into an appealing, contemporary urban setting in the planning stage, it’s crucial that we have a strong and experienced team to support the execution of our vision. The strategic growth of our team allows us to do this, and to continue to expand our work in providing much-needed housing to support the city’s growth.”
Cordia Blackswan is committed to being a good neighbour and demonstrates thinking ‘beyond the red line’ by considering the wider impacts of its developments on the community. This is put into practice through minimising disruption during construction and maintaining the local heritage in retaining characterful developments.
This approach continues to be applied once the works have completed by ensuring commercial space is filled by a curated mix of retailers, bars, and restaurants to boost the economy of the area and make it somewhere that the community can enjoy.
For more information, visit www.cordiablackswan.co.uk.
