Cushman & Wakefield has appointed retail strategist Paul Durkin as head of UK Retail. Durkin joins from Asda, where he was senior director of strategy.
The hire marks Cushman's third major appointment from the retail industry in recent weeks, following the arrival of Tim Crighton from Kingfisher and Leng Montgomery from Sainsbury's.
Prior to joining Asda, Durkin held senior strategy positions at multinational brewing and beverage company SABMiller, FTSE 100-listed Wm Morrison Supermarkets and global management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company. He starts work at Cushman & Wakefield in June.
'Cushman & Wakefield has retail in its DNA which is why we are really excited about Paul joining us. He brings a potent combination of first-hand insight of working for two of the country’s largest retailers in Asda and Morrisons combined with an advisory background formed at McKinsey.' said George Roberts, Cushman & Wakefield’s head of UK & Ireland.
'Paul is uniquely qualified to help us deliver value-adding solutions to investor and occupier clients looking to enhance performance at a time of unprecedented change in the retail sector.'
'The ever-evolving retail sector is challenging established business models and the lines are being increasingly blurred between the ways we work, live, socialise and consume. As such, strategies to succeed in this sector need to adapt to these factors, whether you are an established or upcoming retail brand, developer or investor,' said Durkin.
Cushman & Wakefield has been strengthening its retail services in recent weeks, particularly in the UK. The firm also hired the team behind independent investment advisor Coady Supple – Robin Coady, Dermot Supple and David Sadler – to advise shopping centre owners and investors on their assets.
Other recent arrivals include Peter Hutton as head of retail in Scotland and Andrew Marshall and Duncan Gilliard as partners specialising in retail investment and London leasing respectively.
Roberts added: 'We have supplemented our market-leading talent with new colleagues who bring additional skills and perspectives at a time when clients are quite rightly leaning on us to deliver first class insight.'
