Lambert Smith Hampton has boosted its Bristol office with the appointment of an associate director to head up its lease advisory team.

James Banks enhances LSH’s knowledge hub for the South West region and he will work closely with its agency and building surveying teams to identify long-term opportunities in the area.

James worked previously at Cushman and Wakefield, where he advised a range of private and corporate clients throughout the South West and London.

“This is an exciting opportunity to grow a team while servicing key LSH clients,” said James. “With the growth of the Severn region powerhouse, the South West has a golden opportunity to focus on its potential and we’ll be looking to see how our experts can play a major role in the development of the area.”

James will be leading a team that provides a range of key services to the commercial property sector, including lease renewal, rent review, lease re-gear and Section 18 advice to both investors and occupiers in the public and private sectors. Key clients include Nationwide, Mapeley, Wesleyan Assurance and Urban Splash.

Welcoming James, Darren Sheward, Head of South West region, said: “There are a growing number of opportunities in the commercial property sector in the region and having James join us means we can offer an even broader range of high quality services to both existing and potential clients.”