Russell Davies has joined national Leading Chartered Surveyors, Bruton Knowles as its first new Head of its Utilities & Infrastructure (U&I) team in Wales and as Partner at the firm.

The move comes as Bruton Knowles continues to build its presence in the principality with key public sector clients including National Grid and Transport for Wales, alongside significant projects for the Welsh Local Government Association with its Decarbonisation Strategy Board, Grid Connection for Bute Energy’s onshore renewable energy project at Nant Mithil Energy Park, and the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone for Celtic Sea Power.

Russell moves from property firm, Cooke & Arkwright, after 16 years, specialising in the utilities and infrastructure sectors, and has a background in farming, logistics and commercial storage with his family’s business, based in South Wales.

James Bailey is Managing Partner at Bruton Knowles: “We recognised at the start of 2022, that our growing client base in Wales meant that we needed a dedicated Head of U&I to manage a burgeoning client portfolio and to provide strategic consultancy for key projects.

It’s a newly created and critical position for us at the business but one which we were prepared to leave unfilled until, we felt, that we had found the right candidate to take on the role. In Russell we have found someone with the specialist experience, knowledge of the shifting Welsh energy sector and someone who understands and supports our plans for the future growth of our team in Wales.”

Russell will work alongside Bruton Knowles Partners Nigel Billingsley and Bill Simms who together Head up the National UK U&I Team.

Russell comments: ”This new role offers me a challenge as well as an opportunity. That Bruton Knowles is already well established in Wales is a given, but new energy projects, new renewables routes presenting in the sector provide excellent projects to pursue and to demonstrate our experience and experience in the sector.

“I will be looking to review and build the team further this year – from our Cardiff office base – but with a remit to service the whole of Wales. And I will be drawing on my experience of renewable energy provision to talk directly to private and public sector clients with their eye on the Welsh Government’s commitment to meet targets set out in its Net Zero Wales Plan – including a target for Wales to meet 70% of its electricity demand from Welsh renewable energy sources by 2030.”

The Welsh Government’s Net Zero Wales Plan outlines actions the Welsh Government (and others) need to take, over the next five years, to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector.

The National Utilities and Infrastructure Team at Bruton Knowles, in the first six months of its current financial year, generated over 37% of the income at the firm.

Bruton Knowles offers a one-stop-shop for clients, with its four National Teams - Valuation, Commercial, Utilities & Infrastructure and Building Consultancy - providing a point of contact to deliver an entire project to the exacting standards required. These are underpinned by Land and Development and Rural services.