Avant Homes East Midlands has strengthened its commercial team with four new appointments.

Richard Short and Richard Smith join as commercial director and commercial manager respectively. The housebuilder has also hired Sophie Aitken as assistant buyer and Stephanie Mason as a commercial assistant.

Richard Short is returning to Avant Homes where he was previously Group commercial controls manager. He has 27 years' experience in the housebuilding industry, having also held positions at Keepmoat and Countryside Partnerships.


With 23 years' experience in housebuilding, Richard Smith will manage the region's team of quantity surveyors, buyers and commercial assistants. He previously worked at Mulberry Homes and Redrow.

Sophie Aitken steps into her first housebuilding role as an assistant buyer to the team, following eight years with flooring contractors Designer Contracts, Saint Flooring and Carters Flooring.

Stephanie Mason has made the move from conveyancing to the regional commercial team, where she plans to train as a quantity surveyor. She previously held positions at My Home Move and AVRillo Conveyancing.