Exclusive: Richard Taylor and Mark Lacey to leave consultant鈥檚 commercial team to set up their own firm

Mark Taylor and Richard Lacey

Two leaders of EC Harris鈥 commercial team have resigned to start a new venture, 黑洞社区 can reveal.

Richard Taylor, head of commercial, and Mark Lacey, a partner in the London commercial team, will depart on 4 May.

Taylor and Lacey (pictured left and right) - who both joined EC Harris from rival Davis Langdon - have overseen a period of expansion for EC Harris in the commercial sector.

The pair have helped the firm secure some of London鈥檚 most prestigious jobs in recent months, including the KPF-designed Scalpel tower, Goldman Sachs鈥 European headquarters and a major extension to Selfridges鈥 flagship Oxford Street store.

Keith Brooks, EC Harris鈥 head of property, said the firm had held 鈥渃areful discussions with clients鈥 to ensure a 鈥渟mooth transition鈥 and will subcontract Taylor and Lacey鈥檚 new venture on certain projects to ensure continuity.

Brooks added: 鈥淲hat they want to do is take up a new challenge together and start a business and we are supportive of them in doing that.鈥

Taylor and Lacey are the latest high profile figures to leave a large cost consultant鈥檚 London team to set up on their own.

Several big names have departed Davis Langdon鈥檚 London-based commercial team in the past couple of years to launch start-up firms, including former London directors James Clark and Gerard Cook, who, together with three former non-equity partners, founded cost consultant CoreFive.

Davis Langdon鈥檚 head of commercial Paul Allen, head of tall buildings Steve Watts, head of offices Iain Parker, head of retail Paul Zuccherelli and parent company Aecom鈥檚 head of real estate Alex Davey have also all left the firm since last autumn, although it is not known what they plan to do next.

Brooks said he was 鈥渃onfident鈥 there was room in the London market for 鈥渂oth major global players and small niche players鈥. He added: 鈥淥ur presence in the London commercial market has never been stronger鈥.