Ambitious Barberry appoints new project director

Jon Mott, Barberry Group

Commercial property investor and developer Barberry Group has appointed project director Jon Mott to help drive delivery of its growing pipeline of developments across the industrial, residential and student accommodation sectors.

Jon has joined the Midlands-based company as it continues to deliver 2.8 million sq ft of industrial projects with a Gross Development Value (GDV) of more than £295 million at key sites across the UK.

Barberry is also delivering student accommodation and residential schemes worth in excess of £200 million and has circa 600 acres of strategic development land across 11 sites under its control.

Jon was an associate director at Colliers International, within its building surveying team, from 2005 to 2012. Having been the client contact for Papa John’s whilst at Colliers, he was recruited by the pizza company to set-up its in-house construction and development team. He became director of development in 2017.

His achievements include taking development capacity of the business from 10 to 50 stores per annum within three years; the development team doubled to 10 people; unit development rose from 180 to around 425 stores; annual profit increased to £5 million in 2018; and he led the redevelopment of Papa John’s European headquarters in Milton Keynes.

He said: “The opportunity arose to return to the Midlands property market with a new role as project director at Barberry and it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. The company is highly respected and is enjoying a period of sustained growth, delivering a wide variety of projects at sites across the country. I hope to apply the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired not only within consultancy but also as part of a large, multi-national organisation, to help drive Barberry’s current and future development programme.”

Barberry group director Henry Bellfield said: “With a 2.8 million sq ft logistics/industrial pipeline, further residential and student phases at Bishop Gate in Coventry, and circa 600 acres of strategic land promotion,these are exciting times at Barberry and Jon has been recruited to support and enable the continued growth of the business.

“Delivery of the significant development and land pipeline under Barberry Group control and ownership is driving our business forward, with a focus on the key growth sectors of residential/student and industrial/logistics – ‘beds and sheds’.

“We are planning to continue to invest in all areas of our business, from people to our property investment portfolio, and our existing development pipeline. We also remain selectively acquisitive for further properties and sites.”