Top-five QS EC Harris has poached two managers from rivals firms to beef up its facilities management and industrial divisions.
The 拢125m-turnover firm has recruited Davis Langdon & Everest partner Matt Bennion and Atkins Faithful & Gould's regional director Mark Howard.

Bennion, 31, who joined EC Harris this week, has been given a brief to increase the firm's FM and outsourcing business at home and abroad.

Graham Matthews, head of outsourcing at EC Harris, said: "Matt brings with him strong property and commercial skills, which will prove invaluable to our team."

The firm is presently pitching for an FM deal to look after HSBC's branches and corporate facilities.

Howard, a former Atkins Faithful & Gould director for north-west England, will concentrate on growing the firm's industrial operations.

EC Harris has appointed another two partners from the health and retail sectors. Howard Forster has joined from health consultant Secta, which advises NHS trusts on funding capital schemes. The other appointee is Colin Moore, who was in charge of construction and property management at Boots The Chemists. Moore will be based in the East Midlands and will develop the firm's web-enabled FM management tool.

Philip Youell, managing partner for the South, said the appointments were part of EC Harris' strategy to concentrate on particular markets. He said: "We have been very busy trying to bring senior people in, focused on different sectors and segments of the market."