Colliers International has made three senior appointments in its Rating team in locations across the UK.
Jim Gallagher joins Colliers’ Manchester office as a Director from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). With more than 30 years’ rating experience, Jim was formerly Head of Commercial Leisure and Civics in the VOA’s National Specialists Unit, where he was responsible for overseeing properties for non-domestic rating purposes, running a team of 20. Prior to that he headed the Specialist Rating Unit for the North and was Group Valuation Officer for the North West.
Throughout his career Jim has obtained specialist experience in advising the sports industry, most notably through his involvement in lengthy negotiations in respect of the Etihad Campus and its City Football Academy. Until recently, he carried out most of the rating work for Premiership football grounds and training grounds in the North and his litigation experience includes industry-leading cases around the valuation approach taken on niche assets including doctors’ surgeries, ATMs and places of religious worship.
Andrew Stacey also joins as a Director from Telereal Trillium and has been dealing with rating appeals since the 1973 Rating List, covering a broad range of sectors including retail, offices, industrial and leisure. Andrew will be based in our Leeds office and brings with him a broad range of knowledge and experience, having previously worked as a Surveyor in estate management and residential/mixed use development earlier in his career.
Richard Proctor joins Colliers’ London office as an Associate Director. With almost 30 years’ experience, advising clients within London and the South East region, Richard has extensive experience in rating having spent time at the VOA where he specialised in Central London offices as well as providing advice in respect of licensed premises. Most recently Richard was employed by Telereal Trillium where he advised BT, representing clients through Valuation and Upper Tribunal proceedings.
John Webber, Head of Rating, Colliers International, said: “”Businesses are crying out for decent advice on how to deal with their rate bills given the fall out from the 2017 Revaluation, where sudden increased bills have hit many companies for six. And adding to a new appeals system (CCA), which many acknowledge is not fit for purpose, many businesses need urgent professional support to negotiate the new system.
“These appointments will help keep Colliers at the forefront in looking after our clients and lobbying the government for reform. We now have over 90 rating professionals in our team, working from nine offices across the UK. I welcome the expertise that Jim, Andrew and Richard bring to our already experienced team and look forward to working with them as we continue to strengthen our offering and provide quality all round business rates advice in these difficult times.”
He added, “These new appointments are only the start of our growth plans. We will, in particular, look to grow the London team in the near future and will be making some further announcements in due course.“
