Howard Holdings has a 660m portfolio in Ireland and Britain which it plans to double over the next two years.

"Chris will be a major asset.

We have retail across the UK and Ireland and we want to expand the portfolio in Europe, " Howard Holdings' chief executive Greg Coughlan told the UK trade magazine Property Week. Williams resigned from Marks & Spencer at the end of last year when the company appointed Steven Sharp to manage a £1bn store refurbishment programme.

Howard Holdings, which emerged as the new owner of Coventry Airport ten days ago, embarked on a retail buying spree last year. It paid 330m for a 50% stake in the Whitgift Shopping Centre in Croydon, bought the Wilton Shopping Centre in Cork for 150m and paid 112m for West Riding House in Leeds.

Howard bought the Wilton Shopping Centre from Tesco in tandem with Joe O'Donovan, and is eyeing a possible 200m redevelopment of the complex. The company is also planning to double the size of the 12 acre Whitgift centre as part of a 700m investment. Howard bought its stake in Whitgift in partnership with Anglo Irish Bank, which has been a long-term associate of the company.

Howard Holdings, which has projects worth more than 2bn under development, is currently on a major expansion drive and plans to add further to its management team. The company's main focus is development, but it also has a social and affordable housing arm in partnership with US group MuniMae.

Howard Holdings is working on urban regeneration projects in Cape Town, Krakow, and Cork and is also building part of the complex for the sailing events at the 2012 London Olympics. The 130m waterside development in Weymouth includes 130 apartments, a new marina and a 125 bedroom hotel.

Howard's other leisure developments currently on the books include a 350m residential and golf scheme in Mallorca and a 100m golf course and hotel project near Turnberry in Scotland.

The formerly publiclyquoted Howard Holdings was taken private three and a half years ago by Coughlan and his partner Frank Gormley, who is chairman, in a deal that was backed by Kingspan director Brendan Murtagh.