One of the Midlands’ best known commercial property experts has joined the board at leading investor and developer Barberry Group.
Ian Cornock, the former head of UK regions at JLL, has been appointed as non-executive consultant by the Stourbridge-based business which has posted record turnover and pre-tax profits as it celebrates 40 years in business.
During his career his focus has evolved from offices into development and regeneration work. Major clients he has advised include Argent, Birmingham City Council, TRW, ABF, Ballymore, Arden Cross, Freshwater and Oval.
Major projects in Birmingham he has worked on include the early stages of Brindleyplace, 1 and 3 Snowhill, Birmingham Great Park and Arden Cross – securing Muse as partner for the consortium.
Barberry managing director Henry Bellfield said: “Ian’s appointment is exciting for Barberry and reflects the success and growth of the business. He is one of the best-known property people in the Midlands and will bolster what is already a very strong management team.
“His skills and experience will prove invaluable as we continue to deliver our ambitious development and investment growth strategy. We are delighted to welcome him to the team.”
Ian said: “I am very excited to be working with Barberry, a company I have always admired for their can-do attitude and ability to be very fleet of foot in adapting to the market.
“I believe the skills I have learned in my career – managing a business and working with both occupiers and landlords in the private and public sector – will enable me to give an additional perspective to the team, which will help to grow the business and deliver the company’s objectives.”
Ian, who was a non-executive director of Mucklow plc for three years until the business was sold to London Metric in 2019, began his career in London as a graduate in 1985 at Debenham Tewson and Chinnocks, which became DTZ and now Cushman & Wakefield. In July 1994 he moved to Birmingham to work for Erdman Lewis, which became Colliers.
He was appointed head of Colliers in Birmingham in 1997 and was set the task of rebuilding the office after the administration of Erdman’s. He started with a team of four and, when he left in 2007, the office had grown to 60 people, providing a full range of services.
In 2007, he was appointed managing partner of King Sturge’s Birmingham business, which comprised around 80 staff. In 2011, King Sturge merged with JLL and he was appointed head of the Midlands business, which included an office in Nottingham. In January 2020, Ian was appointed to the UK board as head of the UK Regions, until he stepped down in January 2022.
Barberry has a 2.4 million sq ft industrial/logistics development pipeline with a Gross Development Value of more than £355 million. The company has 500 acres of strategic residential and employment development land, across 12 sites under its control, and a growing income producing commercial and residential portfolio.