Oxford – Ridge appoints former Mercedes-Benz project manager

Ridge and Partners LLP, an award-winning, multi-disciplinary property and construction consultancy which is headquartered in Oxford, has expanded its team with the appointment of a new project manager.

Gareth Hill, who’s spent the past 23 years working in the construction industry, joins the team as an associate after four and a half years at Mercedes-Benz, where he was responsible for the successful delivery of new car dealerships and refurbishment projects at the brand headquarters and across its retail estate.

With a number of years’ experience in the motor retail sector, and five years in the higher education sector prior to that, Hill will be helping Ridge grow its motor retail offer, as well as supporting the higher education team on its existing university portfolio. He will be based between the consultancy’s Oxford headquarters and its Birmingham office.

Tim Leigh, partner at Ridge, said: “Gareth has a wealth of construction and project management experience across a range of sectors, many of which already align with our core strengths at Ridge and some that will enable us to expand our sector offering. As well as his extensive knowledge of the motor retail industry, Gareth’s move to Ridge also sees him bring Mercedes-Benz across as a new client, where he’ll be completing the delivery of an exciting, one-of-a-kind project for the German car giant. We’re thrilled to have him on board and look forward to drawing on his expertise in this area.”

Hill added: “The opportunity to join Ridge as an associate came at exactly the right time for me, and with the support of Mercedes-Benz, I jumped at the chance to challenge and develop myself further. I’m looking forward to helping the consultancy develop its sector expertise in areas like motor retail, which combines my own love of cars and construction, and add value by applying my experience in the higher education sector, which Ridge has a fantastic reputation in.”

Prior to his role at Mercedes-Benz, Hill worked for the University of Nottingham on a range of different projects, including a number of specialist refurbishments within its 1970s Medical School, the delivery of a new Tropical Crop Research Facility and delivery of the Amenities building now known as the ‘Barn’. He is also an experienced MCIOB chartered construction manager and PRINCE2 practitioner.

Ridge now employs over 625 people in 11 offices across the UK and offers a unique range of property consultancy services. Since 2018, the business has grown by over 40 consultants, with plans to recruit more in 2019.

Its education team has more than 70 years’ experience working in the sector, with clients spanning higher education, schools and academies, independent schools, specialist schools and further education providers. More than 80% of its work in the education sector comes from repeat clients, who stay with Ridge because of its breadth of expertise, strong heritage and focus on quality and reliability.