Savills Birmingham founder Barry Allen retires

Savills has appointed a new head of office in Birmingham, England, and announced plans to relocate. Long-serving chief Barry Allen will step down from the role at the end of November, to be replaced by Simon Farrant.

Farrant was previously managing director at GBR Phoenix Beard for eight years, overseeing its offices in Birmingham, London and Leeds, England, before the property consultancy's acquisition by Savills last year.

In addition to the change of leadership, Savills has unveiled plans to relocate its 156-person Birmingham team from two separate offices, in Edmund Street and Newhall Street, to the top floor of 55 Colmore Row by the end of the year