Corbo, the Northern Ireland-based property group, today announced the appointment of prominent banker Stephen Kirkpatrick to the position of Chief Executive Officer as part of a strategic growth plan. Mr Kirkpatrick, who has wide experience of large-scale corporate and property finance, moves from Head of Retail Credit at Bank of Ireland Group to Corbo at a time when the company is seeking to develop growth opportunities from both inside and outside its extensive retail-focused property base. Corbo, with £700m in gross assets, owns a range of shopping centres and fashion parks across the UK totalling more than two million square feet. It is Northern Ireland’s largest property company. 

Sam Morrison, Corbo’s Chairman, said today: “Stephen’s appointment is an integral part of our plan for the group’s future development. His experience in corporate finance and banking will help us exploit opportunities which are undoubtedly available in the current market conditions.” Mr Kirkpatrick (46) is a chartered accountant by profession and is a member of the Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He spent eight years with KPMG specialising in Corporate Finance before joining Bank of Ireland in Northern Ireland in 1995. He was subsequently responsible for the bank’s regional business operations in the UK before becoming CEO of its Northern Ireland business. Last year he was appointed to the key group role of Head of Retail Credit. He said: “I am delighted to have this opportunity to use my experience to help the Corbo team expand what is a very successful business.

Corbo is one of the leading players in retail property in the UK. It is a financially robust company with a healthy income stream and, having successfully completed a major debt refinancing last year it, is strongly positioned to take advantage of opportunities throughout the UK to acquire additional profitable assets.” The group has several significant property deals in the pipeline which are expected to be announced in the coming months.