Two key promotions at Cooke & Arkwright

Follows strong growth in 2017

20 December 2017

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Cooke & Arkwright has made two strategic promotions following strong growth in 2017. The Cardiff-based firm has promoted two employees to Director and Associate Director. Jane Shankland has been promoted to business rates Director and will now assist fellow Director Andrew West in continuing to grow the department, with a particular focus on public sector clients.

Having joined Cooke & Arkwright as a graduate in 1994, Mrs Shankland has become one of its key contacts for business rate assessments. She advises clients on all types of commercial property including industrial, office and retail premises in Wales and England.

Mrs Shankland also advises public sector clients, including 10 Welsh local authorities on rating issues for their operational portfolios.

Fluent-Welsh speaker Robert Evans has been promoted to Associate Director within the development land team. Mr Evans joined Cooke & Arkwright in 2010 as a graduate surveyor.

He works alongside Cooke & Arkwright’s Chairman Michael Lawley and Managing Director Andrew Gardner advising clients on the acquisition and disposal of residential and commercial development land in Wales and England. With his understanding of the planning, engineering, commercial and legal issues critical to development, Mr Evans is responsible for advising private and public body clients on development projects from inception to effective disposal.

Andrew Gardner said: “We pride ourselves on being ‘Wales’ property people’ and this is only possible because of our talented team of property professionals. Jane and Rob both very much deserved these promotions as they have shown the utmost commitment to our clients and the company.

“We’d like to thank them for the continued hard work and look forward to seeing their future progression.”

Jane Shankland said, “Since joining Cooke & Arkwright as a graduate I have witnessed its development into Wales’ largest chartered surveying practice.

“We are a team of hard-working individuals whose efforts are always recognised by the company. The versatility of the work, the diverse range of clients, and the highly supportive team makes it a great place to work.”

Robert Evans said, “Cooke & Arkwright is involved in some of the highest-profile developments within Wales and it is great to be a part of that and continue to develop the business further.”

Cooke & Arkwright have been providing rating valuation advice to The Welsh Rugby Union Limited (“WRU”) and Millennium Stadium plc for many years. They were recently successful in achieving substantial reductions in the assessments of the Millennium Stadium, covering both the 2005 and 2010 rating list. These negotiated reductions yielded savings of c.£3.5m which, crucially, allows the WRU to re-invest in rugby throughout Wales. They advise the WRU across the group portfolio including the National Centre of Excellence in the Vale of Glamorgan. The valuation issues across the WRU portfolio are complex requiring a high level of understanding of the funding and finances of professional sport in Wales. Cooke & Arkwright’s experience and understanding of these issues and application to the rating valuation have yielded these substantial negotiated reductions. The WRU and the Millennium Stadium entrust our work to organisations with the required levels in experience and expertise in dealing with these complex issues. I am glad to say we have this expertise in Wales. I would have no hesitation in recommending ratepayers making use of this Welsh based expertise.

The Welsh Rugby Union Limited, Welsh Rugby Union Group