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JLL has announced new hires, growth and big contract wins despite the Covid pandemic - with the North West team alone responsible for 40% of all regional office take up in 2020.

Following turbulence wrought on the market by Covid, the commercial real estate services firm's North West lead director, Steve Hogg, said the firm is looking ahead to new hires – and "cautiously optimistic" about market recovery.

The firm moved to its new HQ at Landmark, St. Peter’s Square last year, and has experienced sustained growth – which has seen it strengthen its teams in its North West office and make hires and internal appointments.

Andy Rands will move to JLL North West’s capital markets team, from the office agency team, to be replaced by Rhys Evans, who joins the office team as associate director from Avison Young.

Further hires include Anna Mackay, joining the business space team as a surveying executive, and Tom Smith – formerly of Lambert Smith Hampton – in the building consultancy team as senior surveyor.

Mr Hogg said: “It’s brilliant to be able to bolster the team with these strategic hires, I’m particularly excited about Andy’s appointment within the capital markets team; the availability of capital is at levels we have not seen for a long time, so the ability to be able to advise clients with more resource will put us at the forefront as the market returns.

“We’ve specifically recruited in our offices department, and Rhys joins the team at a pivotal time. In 2020, JLL North West was responsible for 40% of all office space transacted in Manchester, including the largest deal of the year with Muse’s One Bailey to BT.