International real estate firm Hines has appointed Damien Hilborne as development director to its UK team.
The firm said that the hire was part of its strategy to grow its development pipeline in the UK, having acquired a range of prime sites for commercial, student housing and logistics projects within the past 12 months.
Hilborne said: 'This is a fantastic opportunity to join a world class real estate firm with a number of prominent schemes in London, and an expanding pipeline of projects across the UK, particularly in the exciting student accommodation and industrial and logistics sectors.'
Hilborne joins Hines from Viridis Real Estate, where he spent eight years as construction director responsible for the delivery of a range of major projects across multiple asset classes in central London and locations around the UK and continental Europe.
Among his portfolio of projects is the redevelopment of the former Guardian headquarters in Farringdon into The Ray, an office scheme which was pre-let to LinkedIn as its UK base at the start of 2019.
Hilborne will be joining a development team led by Robbie Pitman, who joined Hines 12 months ago as head of development in the UK in a newly created role as the firm grows its pipeline of projects across London and key regional markets.
Pitman said: 'Bringing on board a project development specialist of Damien’s calibre and experience represents a significant appointment for the firm. We have a strong and growing long-term development pipeline and his arrival further strengthens our capabilities in this side of our business.'
The firm's pipeline in the West End of London currently includes Oxbourne House, located above the new Bond Street Underground station entrance on London’s Oxford Street; The Grain House office and retail development in Covent Garden; and the 80 New Bond Street site on the corner of Oxford Street and New Bond Street.
Hines is currently active in the office, retail, student housing and logistics sectors, managing a combined UK property portfolio worth more than £2 bn and located in London and key regional cities.
