Cost consultant Gardiner & Theobald has poached Tony Farmiloe, the head of property at rival Franklin + Andrews

Farmiloe, who had been at F+A for 26 years, will join the G&T work group headed up by Kevin Arnold, a former managing director of F+A. Former F+A executives Tony Venn and Mike Greenland have also moved to G&T.

Farmiloe, who resigned two months ago, is expected to join G&T next month.

His departure comes during a turbulent time for F+A. 黑洞社区 reported in May that consultant Mott MacDonald, which owns F+A, had embarked on a cost-cutting round that might lead to job losses at its QS division.

In its 2004 annual report and accounts Mott MacDonald said the management, economics and consultancy arm, of which F+A makes up about 60%, had been through 鈥渁 very challenging year on a number of fronts鈥�, and as a result there would be a focus on 鈥渃ontrolling overheads鈥�.

Guy Leonard, managing director of the division, said the cuts could hit director and junior levels but that only a 鈥渉andful鈥� of staff would be affected.

Keith Howells, managing director of Mott MacDonald, said in May that the company would be looking to increase the proportion of fee earners to non-fee earners.

The scale of job losses would be nothing significant

Keith Howells of Mott MacDonald

He added that the scale of job losses would be 鈥渘othing significant鈥� but added that no decisions had yet been made.

Howells joined the group board in 2002 following a stint leading the firm鈥檚 water and environmental business. He has been with the company for 30 years.

Pre-tax profit for the group fell almost 13% to 拢11.5m for the year to 31 December 2004. Turnover rose 3% to 拢485m. The company said profit was down 鈥減artly due to contracting core markets and difficult trading conditions鈥�.

Howells said the main concern was the UK transport business, because of uncertainty over road and railway projects, notably Crossrail. Mott MacDonald has a pension deficit of 拢83m and is paying 拢5.4m a year to make it up.

F+A and Mott MacDonald merged in May 2002 to create a consultant to rival Atkins. The merged firm had 7000 staff and a turnover of 拢400m. F+A were unavailable for comment.