The Buchan Group announces the promotion of Ashley Sheppard to Principal.

The promotion is an opportunity to recognise Sheppard for his talent and dedication, according to Buchan CEO David Martin. Over a decade-long career at Buchan, Sheppard has played a key role in some of the firm’s most defining retail projects across Australia and the U.K.

Sheppard was the lead designer on the Emporium Melbourne project, one of the most awarded retail developments in the Melbourne CBD. The uniquely urban shopping destination forms the middle link in the pedestrian chain of Australia’s most powerful CBD retail precinct, linking Myer, David Jones, Melbourne Central, The Strand Arcade and Melbourne’s GPO.

The project was recently honoured with the Sir Osborn McCutcheon Award in Commercial Architecture at the 2016 Victorian Architecture Awards and was shortlisted for the 2015 Interior Design Excellence Awards in the Public Space category.

Some of his other career highlights include the design of the recently completed urban lifestyle precinct, Eastland in Melbourne’s East; the award-winning Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City projects in the U.K. as an integral member of the design team; and the Castle Towers redevelopment in Sydney, which will open in 2020 with 80,000 square metres of additional space, transforming it into one of Australia’s most prominent urban shopping, entertainment and leisure hubs.

CEO David Martin added that the promotion recognised Sheppard’s professional accomplishments and contribution to Buchan while also reinforcing the firm’s commitment to developing future leaders.