Savills adds depth to management team with new acquisition

Established in 2011 by CEO, Paul Clement, CMS employs 28 staff members, all of whom will join Savills with immediate effect. At Savills, Paul will assume a new role for the business as head of place shaping.

With a national coverage, CMS has built a strong reputation and client base across the UK providing place-shaping and place-marketing services, with the aim of transforming town and city centres to create locations where people want to live and work. The firm has a particular specialism in developing, renewing and managing Business Improvement District (BID) companies, which are business-led and business-funded, formed to improve commercial areas by representing local operators to support them in augmenting and defining their local area. This creates an immediate synergy with Savills property management division, particularly in terms of its retail, marketing and commercialisation services. 

CMS currently provides management support to 11 BID locations and is developing new BID models in Maidstone, Colchester, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Andover and Stoke-On-Trent.

Mark Ridley, CEO of Savills UK and Europe, comments: “The established reputation of CMS will add a new dynamic to our already very strong property management division, which is a key service line for our business. Its reputation in place making and the development of BIDs will also expand our client offer and help to add value to their existing portfolios.”

Nick Herward, head of property management at Savills, says: “Having an in-depth knowledge of the areas in which our clients operate and own schemes is a vital part of our service and the integration of CMS will therefore provide a fundamental new offer to our existing business, as well as complementing the overall expertise within the management division. The importance of place making and the return investment that BIDs can bring to an area is crucial to ensuring the success of any development and this acquisition underlines our commitment to providing a first class and comprehensive client service.”

Paul Clement, CEO of CMS, adds: “CMS now operates in numerous locations across the UK and has grown rapidly over the past seven years. There is an obvious synergy between the work of Savills and the place shaping guidance offered to clients by CMS. We are delighted with the opportunities that this acquisition by Savills will provide to enhance the service to our clients and help to widen our footprint.”

* Photo left to right: Martin Wallace, Graeme Clark, Katrina MacKay, Nick Herward and Paul Clement (CMS)