CBRE, the global real estate consulting firm, has appointed Simon Townsend as the new director and head of valuation and consultancy unit.

Townsend brings with him more than 17 years of professional valuation experience across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, advising financial institutions, developers, funds and business organizations with more than 13 years within the UAE and GCC regions.

He is a dynamic leader and has a proven track record of building and empowering teams to achieve enhanced performance, said the CBRE in its statement.

Townsend's return to CBRE is an important hire in the firms regional growth strategy which, this year, has included several senior appointments and acquisition activity.

A holder of BSc (Hons) Urban Land Economics degree from the Sheffield Hallam University, he brings both advisory and capital markets skills sets; long experience within the Gulf region; and exceptional connectivity.

"I am delighted that he also brings client side investor experience to my firm to help to increase the momentum of our capital advisory business at a time when we are experiencing significant overseas interest in UAE investment," said Nick Maclean, the managing director, CBRE, Middle East.

"Townsend has been involved in valuation mandates for a number of prestigious clients across various markets such as the GCC, North Africa, Europe as well as the US across almost all asset classes and has also taken part in a number of high profile investment acquisitions," he added.

His representative assignments include investment advisory, commercial valuation, development appraisals, Argus investor & developer and financial feasibility studies.-TradeArabia News Service