The Midlands branch of trade body Women in Property has appointed a new chairwoman.
Sophie Smith, who has been a member of the networking group for four years, has taken on the chair's role this month for a one-year tenure, replacing Kelly McDonnell, a business development manager with property services firm CLS.
In her day job, Ms Smith is a land manager for Solihull-based housebuilder Spitfire Homes and specialises in the acquisition of land for new developments.
She said: "As a branch, we are continuing to work together to ensure the industry stays resilient and attracts many more people to the property sector.
"We hope the range of events and webinars alongside the support that we offer as an organisation will assist in doing so. We have all seen remarkable courage and resilience across the property and construction industry and in wider society.
"It can be tough stepping outside of our personal comfort zones but inevitably this is what gives us the confidence to thrive."
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In other property appointments news, Solihull housebuilder Hayfield has recruited Simon Evans as its new contracts manager to oversee six of the company's developments.
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The expansion of the construction team is in line with Hayfield seeking to deliver a turnover of £100 million during the current financial year which would double the 2020 figure.
Mr Evans joins from Barwood Homes where he was a construction director with overall responsibility for all site-based targets and reporting, feasibility studies and pre-start work.
He has also previously worked for Bovis Homes and David Wilson Homes during his 30-year career.
The Birmingham office of property consultancy Savills has made a quartet of promotions.
Sarah Gregory and Emma Prowse have been made director and associate director respectively in its development team, Stuart Watts is an associate in the building and project consultancy division and Isaac Burner is a new associate in residential sales.
Head of Savills in Birmingham Simon Farrant said: "I'm delighted to announce the latest promotions for our Birmingham office, particularly in light of the challenges of the past year."
Birmingham property consultancy Vail Williams has recruited Oliver Muscutt as a graduate surveyor.
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He joins the team from Lambert Smith Hampton where he specialised in property valuation, working on loan security valuations and a range of residential schemes in and around Birmingham.
In his new role, Mr Muscutt will support the firm's growing office and industrial agency team which was recently bolstered with the arrival of associate Charlotte Fullard, also from Lambert Smith Hampton.
They will act for landlords, developers and occupiers on the letting, sale and acquisition of all types of commercial property across the Midlands.
Land promoter Richborough Estates has welcomed graduate Katie Saunders as assistant land and planning manager to its Birmingham headquarters.
This is her first industry role since leaving Loughborough University with a degree in construction engineering management.
In her new role, she will help bring forward land and assist with the planning and delivery phase to create new developments.
The company is also sponsoring her part time master's degree in planning built environments at Birmingham City University.
Principle Estate Management has appointed a new apprentice in its finance team.
The Birmingham-based residential management company has recruited Imahni Hurlock-Edmead, boosting the finance team to seven and total staffing to 31 across the company.
She was educated at Shireland Collegiate Academy in Smethwick and Dudley College and is the fourth apprentice the company has recruited from training company Protocol centre.
Birmingham-based property developer Elevate has hired James Costello as development director.
He was most recently a partner and head of cost consultancy at global construction consultancy Rider Levett Bucknall and also previously worked for Currie & Brown, Locus Cost Consultants and Franklin & Andrews.
Elevate's current projects include Sheldon Court, Heaton House and Priory House in Birmingham.
Property consultancy Carter Jonas has grown its infrastructure and energy team by appointing planning and consents specialist Dermot Scanlon as a partner in its Birmingham office.
He joins from Stantec where he led its infrastructure planning team and has more than 30 years of experience in achieving consents and delivering infrastructure projects across the transport, energy, water resources, waste and development sectors.
In recent years, he has worked with project promoters and the public and private sectors in the consent delivery of projects including HS2 and the Lower Thames Crossing.