62 property
Leaving a Legacy, building a future: Vail Williams celebrates 25 years
Property expert Vail Williams is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the launch of its Legacy initiative aiming to make a difference to the community and inspire its employees
As the firm reaches its quarter-century this year it continues to step up its fundraising activities for nominated charities, increase efforts to develop staff, and invest in projects such as mentoring for future generations – all now under the Legacy banner.
Vail Williams’ Thames Valley region – with offices in Reading and Heathrow – supported the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance in the autumn last year, as well as the Shooting Star CHASE appeal for children with terminal illnesses.
Another recent good cause is Headway Thames Valley, a charity which provides information, support and services to brain injury victims and their families and carers.
These are examples of how money is collected into a central fund by Vail Williams teams around the country and distributed to each region’s nominated charities. Employees’ personal volunteering and fundraising are also actively encouraged.
Funds contributed by Vail Williams are helping aspiring surveyors too. Vail Williams’ Chris Perry Bursary provides bursaries for students in real estate at the University of Reading, in memory of former partner Chris Perry who died in 2009.
Employees are supported in their personal development through the David Nassif Memorial Fund which helps individual’s personal development including non-work- related development as diverse as speciality cooking to singing lessons.
Vail Williams’ partner and chief executive Ian Rudland said: “Our Legacy initiative is designed to both recognise our 25-year heritage and to reflect our commitment to the future by benefiting the communities in which Vail Williams’ people work – as well as to inspire our own staff. Legacy provides a real focus for us all to give something back. We are all proud of our history and standing in the property industry, and want to mark this milestone achievement in a truly significant way.”
Under Legacy, a flow of trainees have learned core business skills in the three years since Vail Williams started its government-backed apprenticeship scheme for school and college leavers to gain a Business Administration NVQ. After first launching in Vail Williams’ Solent region, the initiative has spread around
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Martin Tice, Vail Williams’ regional partner, and Kerry Hatch, one of the many apprentices that have joined Vail Williams to work while studying for their Business Administration NVQ
the company giving apprentices a year’s contract and an opportunity to prove themselves and perhaps even be offered a full-time job.
Vail Williams’ Reading office is in the process of taking on an MSc student on a scholarship arrangement. Under the initiative, the organisation is part-funding Sarah Isherwood’s MSc and giving paid work experience and mentoring, with a view to a graduate role in 2014.
The firm also delivers mentoring and presentations to students at the University of Reading and Kingston University, both of which run real estate courses.
“We recognise that our people are at the heart of our business and we invest in them and nurture their talent. Creating these valuable opportunities for the next generation of young professionals is important to us and potentially life- changing for the individuals concerned,” commented Rudland.
Client focus builds commercial success
Since Vail Williams was formed in 1988, its people have carved out a reputation for the professional relationships they build
with clients; understanding their business needs and focusing on delivering clear solutions that support and address these.
Vail Williams was a founding member of business group Thames Valley First, and also established the local branch of the global corporate real estate organisation CoreNet.
In the Thames Valley region, Vail Williams’ clients have included leading brands such as Microsoft, BMW, and Panasonic. Shire Hall at Shinfield Park, one of the best known buildings in Reading, was acquired freehold for Foster Wheeler by Vail Williams about 17 years ago to provide around 360,000 square feet of offices.
Vail Williams also advised on other leading agreements in the region, such as those at Thames Valley Park, and Greenham Common. Vail Williams was key in helping SEGRO, the owner of Reading’s prominent IQ Winnersh site, shape its master plan to transform a largely industrial estate into a modern and popular mixed-use business park. Other big names Vail Williams has assisted in bringing to the park include Harris Systems, Grant Thornton and Atos Origin.
The majority of demand in the Thames Valley has been from companies jostling
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – SEPTEMBER 2013
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