Meet our team
Colin Muller
Founder & Chief Executive
Phillip Johnston
Operations Director
Rebecca Muller
Land & Planning Director
Max Muller
Business Development, Communications & Marketing Director
Founder & Chief Executive
Operations Director
Land & Planning Director
Business Development, Communications & Marketing Director
Colin Muller founded Muller Property Group in 2001. Colin started his career in a land acquisition role for Wimpey, having graduated with a degree in town planning from the School of Architecture, Town Planning and Estate Management, Oxford. He served as director with responsibility for new land identification and acquisition at Alfred McAlpine Plc before establishing his own business in 1990 at the age of 31. Three years later the business merged with Linden Plc, a venture capital backed start-up, and along with his co-directors, Colin achieved a full market listing in 1996 as a quoted house builder.
By 2000 the business had five operating regions with a turnover of £144m, pre-tax profits of £15.4m and net assets of £52m. It was sold following a management buyout valued at £250 million, after which Colin left and started Muller Property Group. Colin is from a Yorkshire Dales farming family, a background which has fuelled his interest in strategic land promotion and in particular working with farmers and landowners to help them obtain planning for agricultural land.
Passionate about getting results, Colin is experienced at lobbying around the need for new homes and is a champion of sustainable development.
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Phillip has worked as a finance professional in the construction, housebuilding and property sector for over 35 years. With a BSc (Hons) degree in Mathematics and Management Sciences, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Grant Thornton in 1986. Following an eighteen month secondment to the European Union Commission, Phillip joined Hassall Homes as Finance Director. On the sale of the Hassall Group in 1997, he moved to Linden Homes and commenced his 28-year working relationship with Colin Muller.
In 2002 he joined the Muller Property Group. Here, his role encompasses all areas of the business including land acquisition, the raising of project finance, residential sales, project costing, commercial property lettings, company secretarial administration and legal matters. He also handles a variety of development and planning related issues including S106 agreements, affordable housing provision, viability studies, joint venture agreements and leases for Group properties. Responsible for a number of joint venture arrangements and numerous group companies, Phillip also has management of financial forecasting, budgetary control and cashflow.
LAND & PLANNING DIRECTOR
Rebecca is the youngest daughter of Chief Executive, Colin Muller. She graduated from Oxford Brookes University in June 2016 with an honours degree in Town Planning & Property Development, and joined the business. Her role focuses on identifying land suitable for promotion through a wide range of sources, use of the planning system and meeting landowners. Rebecca is skilled in being able to use the planning system to assess the prospects of land, in interrogating local authority Local Plans and planning permissions and appeals, whilst always considering the timescale and merits of each particular case. She works alongside her father and other members of the land acquisition team, and is the first point of contact for all land inquiries across the regions.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING DIRECTOR
Julie’s career progression, through sales and marketing, demonstrates how diverse experience has enabled her to adapt to any situation. Gaining valuable transferable skills in marketing and sales whilst working with renowned brands like Diageo in Ireland, delivering a number of international campaigns.
Her career took a significant turn when she joined Allegro Networks, which later became part of an IIX company. Here, she became an expert in selling solutions to CTOs for instant point-to-point connections across the UK, showcasing her skills in negotiation, relationship building, communication and strategy.
Julie then entered the property sector and has been working in the industry for 10 years leading sales teams at Vita Student and Citysuites, where she demonstrated her skills in team management and strategic planning. She joined Muller Group in 2023.
AREA LAND DIRECTOR
Stephen is an experienced land professional with nearly 35 years in the industry, He is Muller Group’s Area Land Director and is responsible for the acquisition of brownfield sites for residential development. Stephen has previous experience working with some of the biggest housebuilders in the UK, as well as private developers, private equity companies, hedge funds, and in a self-employed capacity. He brings with him a considerable expertise in site identification and acquisition, and counts the acquisition of the former RAF American Airbase at Burtonwood in Warrington for the purpose of building 1000 new homes, among his career highlights.
Stephen also spent 12 years in the European property industry, which saw him work across a variety of sectors in land acquisition for residential, hotel chains and commercial property gaining an unparalleled experience of the wider land and property sector with notable achievements.
AREA LAND DIRECTOR
Jonothan has worked as a land professional in the house building and development industry for over 20 years. Graduating with a planning degree and postgraduate diploma in 1993, Jonothan gained initial experience with Ideal Homes in South Wales before moving to Chester and working for North Wales builder David Mclean as Land Manager until 1999.
Jonothan moved to retirement house builder McCarthy Stone in 1999, where he was responsible for land purchase throughout the north west and Shropshire. Following several years specialising in the retirement/care sectors, Jonothan then set up as a property consultant and developer until 2010 when he joined North Wales care home developer Castlemead. During his time with Castlemead, Jonothan was responsible for sourcing and project managing future sites throughout the UK for care home providers on a turnkey basis. Most recently Jonothan has returned to the private retirement sector. In his role at Muller, Jonothan deploys his skills and experience in future acquisitions for short term land opportunities.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Steve has worked as a commercial/technical professional in the housebuilding and construction industry for over 35 years. In his first job Steve joined a local housebuilder, where he stayed for 14 years, progressing his way up from Trainee Surveyor through the ranks to Chief Surveyor. He then went on to set up and manage the commercial departments of the newly established north west regions of national housebuilders David Wilson Homes and Bovis Homes, with overall responsibility for land viabilities, surveying and buying.
In 2005, Steve moved to Brighouse Group as Director to set up the new housebuilding function of the business, responsible for the day-to-day running of the company. He was also responsible for sourcing land opportunities, compiling detailed land viabilities, negotiating land purchase agreements and submitting and gaining planning permissions. Steve then spent time in the educational construction industry with Built Offsite Ltd. Here he was responsible for organising and overseeing the modular construction of school extensions, new school buildings and traditionally built sports halls. The company worked nationally and Steve was involved in schemes in Portsmouth, Surrey, Leeds and Hull. He then had the opportunity of going back into the land and planning environment with Muller, and is now responsible for the technical and financial aspects of parcels of land, dealing with external consultants to compile packages for planning applications and land sales.
AREA LAND DIRECTOR
Will began his career in property in 2015 joining CALA Homes on a graduate scheme after which he spent three years with the company, with two as a Land Buyer. He then took time out to travel and while overseas took a role as a Property Manager in New Zealand, before returning to the UK in 2020 to join Churchill Retirement Living working as a Land Buyer once again. A career highlight was securing a profitable off-market land deal in the middle of 2021’s strict lockdowns, and just five months into a new role, having not been allowed to travel to meet the agent or landowners.
Will joined Muller in September 2022, attracted by the group’s opportunity-led approach, as well as by the chance to work in a fast-paced property environment.