Kevin O’Brien is our Managing Director with over 20 years’ experience across the private and not for profit sectors. Kevin began his career at Tata Steel, the global metals production and trading business, before moving into property and development with Tesco Property and Grosvenor. After spending five years as a Finance Director at Young Lives vs Cancer and at the RSPCA, Kevin joined Be First in May 2021. He is a non-exec Board member for Charity Finance Group, and an independent member of the audit committee for The Lullaby Trust.
Member Category: Team
Edward Skeates
While at Grosvenor Group, Edward Skeates focussed on place-making; sourcing and securing projects. He worked on Liverpool One, one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration projects, value approximately £1bn. Edward also worked on several high-profile projects for Cambridge Horizons, Wilson Bowden and Boots.
Caroline Harper
Caroline joined Be First from JLL where she worked successfully with both private and public-sector clients, with a strong focus on residential-led development in east and south London. She recently coordinated the submission of the largest full planning application ever – for Metropolitan’s Clapham Park estate regeneration in Lambeth. She also has extensive compulsory purchase, appeal and public inquiry experience.
Caroline manages Be First’s planning and development control teams while providing planning support to our growing development arm.
Jennie Coombs
Jennie Coombs has over 25 years’ experience in the housing and property sector, in a wide variety of roles including sales, housing management, development, and strategy. She joined Be First as Head of Affordable Housing in October 2017, having worked previously as the Major Projects Regeneration Manager for Barking and Dagenham Council and, prior to that, for Higgins Construction. She has a track record in delivering ambitious, borough-wide estate regeneration and award-winning new build housing developments including, most recently, the £00 million redevelopment of the Gascoigne estate in Barking, which will deliver over 1,500 new homes. Jennie is passionate about the need to provide top quality, affordable housing at volume, offering options for people on every level of income, in well-designed, mixed communities.