The Team
Overview
The key Senior Executives responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Group are as follows.
JAMES SUNLEY
Chief Executive
James has headed the Sunley Group for over 20 years and is responsible for investment strategy and new project acquisitions. A product of Oxford and Reading Universities James trained as an investment surveyor specialising in retail investment and development. He is skilled at project modelling and assessing risk/reward financial returns for a wide variety of different opportunities. James has a son Casper, and three daughters Jemima, Phoebe and Clementine. An active wine consumer, James's hobbies include most ball and field sports; he is also the President of The St Moritz Tobogganing Club.
RORY GLEESON
Development and Project Management Director
Director of Sunley Holdings Plc and Sunley Estates Ltd with particular responsibility for overseeing all development activities, Rory joined the Sunley group in 1998. He previously spent 13 years working in Main Contracting for Mowlem and Ellmer Construction. Rory's development expertise runs across the breadth of residential development to overseeing the creation of a new hospital facility and to the delivery of sports stadia.
Rory's portfolio within the group covers the identification of potential development opportunities, driving the planning process, overseeing the provision of development finance, delivering the development and bringing end product to the market. Schemes that have produced good levels of returns for investors and shareholders include residential schemes in Kent, Surrey, Dorset, Somerset, Hertfordshire and Central London.
RICHARD EVANS
Land And Planning Director
After graduating from Reading University in 1991 with a First Class Degree in Land Management, specialising in Planning and Development, Richard has spent the past 19 years working in residential development. Since joining Sunley in 2002 Richard has been successful in securing planning approvals on numerous complicated sites, and has also been responsible for both buying and selling land to maximum advantage. His role involves identifying key planning and development issues and formulating an appropriate strategy and timeline in which to address them. His considerable experience within the industry has provided him with an excellent working knowledge of both the planning system and the array of technical issues associated with achieving optimum consents.
CAROLINE TREADWELL
Associate Land and Planning Director
Since joining Sunley in early 2007 Caroline has been instrumental in securing planning consents on a variety of challenging sites, both for housing and apartment schemes. Caroline has excellent co-ordination skills and is adept at overseeing the roles of multiple consultants associated with particular projects, and in dealing with Town and District Councils. Her previous sales experience has proved invaluable in ensuring that the planning permissions obtained by Sunley have been of both good quality design and readily marketable such that the value of the land has been maximized in each case.
ROB TAYLOR
Associate Director
Rob graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in Construction Engineering and Management. He worked as a Main Contractor for Morgan Sindall before becoming a client side Senior Project Manager at DBK Ltd.
Rob has strong experience of programme and financially driven projects having delivered complex schemes within strict timeframes. Rob oversees and manages both existing and new development opportunities - working with design teams and consultants pre-contract then throughout the lifecycle of projects through to completion. Rob's hobbies include, golf, skiing and travelling.
Rob Head
Associate Land & Planning Director
Edward Barber
Development Surveyor
After graduating from Oxford Brookes University with a 2:1 in Planning and Property Development. Edward worked as a development consultant for Hamptons International's New Homes and Developments department before joining the Sunley Group in 2019.
Edward is actively involved with project management of current developments across a variety of asset classes, as well as the day to day management of investments that are held within the group. His other involvements within the company include the management of the group's insurance portfolio, appraising potential investment and development opportunities and planning.
Edward's hobbies included skiing, cycling and most field sports.
LAURA STRADLING
Finance Director
After graduating from the University of Nottingham with a first class degree in Maths, Laura went on to qualify as a chartered accountant with the ICAEW. She completed her studies while working at Haysmacintyre where she trained as an auditor.
Laura joined the Sunley Group in 2010 as Financial Controller after living and working in Hong Kong for 6 months. She is responsible for the finances of the whole Group, including financial reporting, forecasting, statutory compliance and property investment appraisals.
Laura enjoys running, dance, travelling and spending time with her family.
GEOVANNA FERNANDEZ-CHIRRE
Assistant Accountant
Geovanna is a business graduate from "San Martin de Porres" University from Peru with a degree in Economic, Business Management from Westminster University and a member of ACCA. She worked mainly in different Property Management Organisations before joining Sunley Holding Ltd in April 2015.
Geovanna is part of the finance team actively involved in the day to day accounts management of the company and its subsidiaries. Her other involvements within the company include the management of one of the Sunley Heritage Estates.
Geovanna's hobbies include travelling especially to her native country, photography and golf.
Amie James
EA to James Sunley and Rory Gleeson
After graduating from Oxford Brookes with a degree in Law and English, Amie moved to France for two years where she worked for a luxury ski chalet company in the winter and as an au-pair in the summer.
Amie's passion for organisation and working with people pushed her towards a career in personal assistance, working for Dr Tim Evans, Foster and Partners, and Sellar Design and Development before joining the Sunley Group in 2015.
Amie's hobbies include snow skiing, water skiing, sailing and tennis.