Sewell Group appoints new estates MD

APPOINTED: Jo Barnes

Sewell Group has appointed Jo Barnes as the new Managing Director of the estates arm of the company, it announced today.

Sewell Estates is made up of Sewell Investments, Sewell Construction, Sewell Facilities Management, Illingworth and Gregory and Shared Agenda. Sewell Group also includes the retail operations of Sewell on the go.  

Jo will work with Simon Davison, Group Finance Director, and the business unit managing directors to take Sewell Estates to the next level, finding new business synergies and opportunities in line with the group’s growth aspirations.

She said: “I’m privileged to work with such a talented, creative and hard-working group of people and I’m really excited to contribute all I can to the next phase in our Sewell journey.”

Jo has 26 years of experience working in property development and regeneration across the North of England and Scotland.

She joined Sewell Group in 2008, initially as CEO of Hull Citycare. In 2012, she went on to establish Shared Agenda, a specialist estates consultancy that delivers services across the UK.

Jo, a Chartered Director, also represents Sewell on various company boards, including the education and regeneration vehicle Hull Esteem, and the joint venture behind the £200m Yorkshire Energy Park development, Hull Eco Park Limited.

‘A NATURAL STEP’: Paul Sewell

She will continue in her role as managing director of Shared Agenda, whilst leading the collaborative effort of the Sewell Estates businesses.

Paul Sewell, Chair of Sewell Group, said he has intentionally been less involved in the day-to-day business operations for some time now, allowing the next generation of business leaders.

He said: “This is the natural next step. Over the past few years our senior team has demonstrated that, even in the toughest of times, our Estates businesses are robust, well led, and filled with talented people who live the Sewell behaviours.

“Over the past decade Jo has grown our public private partnership Citycare and created its hugely successful sister company Shared Agenda. In doing so, she has proven herself to be an outstanding business leader.

“I am hence delighted that she will now become our Estates Managing Director, who will coordinate our businesses in investment, construction and facilities management and work with their leaders to take us to the next level.”

Paul will continue to represent the business, championing its culture and people, whilst supporting grassroots entrepreneurs and charitable causes, as he has done for many years, the company said.