COBALT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Property and Projects Assistant / Executive Assistant / Executive Assistant
Clare Bray is a Chartered Surveyor with over 15 years' experience in the property industry, 12 of those being post-qualification. Having obtained an Honours degree from King's College London in Biological Sciences she went on to undertake a Postgraduate Diploma in Surveying at Reading University, completing her Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) concurrently.
Her early career focused mainly on commercial property management, working for a number of top property consultancy firms in Central London. Latterly she worked as an Asset Manager for one of the largest property owners in Europe, strategically managing a portfolio of their properties across London and the Home Counties to maximise value. During this time she obtained a wealth of experience in lease renewals, rent reviews, property valuation, lettings and residential property management.
Clare is also a successful property investor and developer, owning a portfolio of properties across Kent and London and having completed a number of property developments including office to residential conversion, HMO conversion and new build. She also acts as a consultant on behalf of a number of clients. In this role she undertakes a number of services including commercial and residential property management, lettings, lease advisory services and building project co-ordination.
Clare prides herself in being honest and transparent and has a reputation for being accurate and efficient, as well as professional and approachable. In 2016 she was shortlisted for Young Surveyor of the year. She is also an Accredited Landlord and in 2014 she became an RICS Accredited Mediator.
In her spare time Clare volunteers for Maidstone mediation, offering neighbourhood mediation services to the local community. She also enjoys travelling the world and experiencing different cultures and cuisines.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Business Development & Marketing Consultant
Debra is a Business Development & Marketing Consultant and a founding member of WISH (Networking Club).
Debra has an MSc in Property & Development Planning and is a Chartered member of the CIH and has worked with the London branch. She also has board experience and spent 6 years on the Housing Services Committee and Altogether Better Committee with Notting Hill Housing Association.
Peju Fabunmi is an experienced Consultant and founder of Cobalt, with over 25 years experience of Housing Development.
During the past decade, Peju has successfully applied her knowledge and skill to assist and advise both the public and private sector on affordable housing issues, delivering complex development sites across London, the South East and in the Midlands.
Having qualified as a town planner, she has been employed as a local authority planning officer and later as head of acquisitions. Peju is skilled at resolving pre-contract and land issues, achieving adherence to key project milestones and financial performance indicators. Peju established Cobalt in 2007 and since then has provided development and project management services for local authorities, government agencies, Registered Providers, developers, property owners and investors.
Recent achievements include the redevelopment of an under-performing property asset for a national charity. Peju managed the project from options appraisal through planning, planning appeal, contract & completion. The completed 156 bed-space student hostel now delivers an impressive yield with a void free rental income and the value of the asset has quadrupled.
Peju is a CIH Chartered Member and maintains a keen interest in the UK planning system, keeping abreast of evolving policy issues around CIL, S106 and affordable housing frameworks.
More recently, Peju has undertaken asset reviews of care and support projects (following recent legislative changes), addressing inefficiencies to ensure their investment value is maximised.
Through Cobalt, she has also evolved systems for the management of post completion services - including defects resolution - ensuring the required standards of customer care and satisfaction are met, resulting in a reduction in the number of formal complaints.
Peju‘s ability to integrate well into existing staff teams and effectively manage multidisciplinary project teams ensures project delivery remains focused during periods of change.
In her spare time, Peju enjoys participating as a crew member on sailing trips around Britain, the Mediterranean and further afield. She is keen to promote ways for everyone to try sailing.
Job Titles:
- Consultant and Founder of Cobalt