Business & People

Foster + Partners has bought out its private equity backer 3i's minority holding in the business to return the architecture practice to 100% own-ownership.

Louise Brooke-Smith is the new President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the organisation's first female President in its 146 year history.

Hamptons International is planning a couple of shindigs to make sure its new Canary Wharf branch goes off with a bang. The new offering on South Colonnade will host two events;

Grainger plc has apparently lined up Galliford Try Chairman Ian Coull to take the reins next year.

Stelios - sorry - Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyGroup, has hired PR agency The Good Relations Group to launch its new property-based venture later this year. easyProperty.

Chestertons has appointed former Savills man Neville Page as the firm's new Head of International Business.

British Land has hired a new Residential Development Director to look after the resi elements of the giant firm's schemes.

Resi developer Mount Anvil has hired former British Land man Martin Ratchford as Group Finance Director.

Savills has appointed Liz Hewitt as an Independent Non-Executive Director with immediate effect.

Steven Tolson FRICS has been appointed as Chairman of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Scotland. He takes over from Tom Barclay.

Hamptons International has furthered its coverage across South East London by snapping up long-established, two-branch estate agency Humphreys Skitt & Co.

Savills' buying arm Prime Purchase has hired a consultant in Singapore to manage the buying agency's Asia-based clients.