Welcome to the regular BusinessLive round-up of appointments and promotions at businesses across the East Midlands:
FSB
The Federation of Small Businesses has appointed Julie Jordan Spence of independent, family business Jordan Motors, on the outskirts of Leicester, to head up the group’s grassroots activity and be the voice of small businesses in the area.
Julie has become an FSB area lead for Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, alongside Northampton-based finance consultant Sally Wood.
Julie steps into the shoes of Jenny Cross, founder of Leicester-based Cross Productions and Niche Magazine, who has completed her three years in office and will continue as an FSB small business ambassador in Leicestershire.
Julie’s father Jim founded Jordan Motors in 1962 and took on the vehicle franchise Practical Car and Van Rental in 1986 where he was a committed member of the FSB.
Julie joined the family firm in 1991 and now runs both businesses. Having run the FSBs local virtual networking events for the last year, she has already met a few hundred members across the county and beyond, hearing about their business ambitions and challenges.
She said: “I'm extremely proud and fortunate to have been appointed to this key role to both support and promote small businesses and the FSB.
Most Read
“The FSB holds the same values as I do and this was the reason for me joining as a member some years ago.
“I am passionate regarding promoting and supporting small independent businesses and I look forward to working with all our local members with Jennifer Thomas our development manager, to ensure we stay at the heart of the local debate and at the forefront of business policy decision-making.”
Whetstone-based Les Phillimore has also been re-elected as FSB regional chair for the East Midlands.
Jennifer Thomas, FSB development manager for the area said: “Volunteers are crucial to FSB’s success as it’s only by drawing on the experience of our members who run their own small businesses that FSB is able to be such a strong campaigning voice, locally and nationally."
Mather Jamie
Loughborough-based commercial property consultancy Mather Jamie has strengthened its commercial property and rural estates team with the appointment of Amber Forster as a rural estates assistant and Oriel Sufrini as a commercial management surveyor.
Amber, who lives in nearby Shepshed is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University and previously worked as an office/accommodation manager in student accommodation in Loughborough.
Don’t miss
In her new role she will be helping with the day-to-day management of residential and agricultural properties across a number of rural estates in the East midlands.
Oriel Sufrini, who lives in Ruddington, Nottingham, previously worked as a facilities and health and safety manager for a global aerospace company.
She studied law at Nottingham Trent University and has a diploma in occupational health and safety.
In her new role, Oriel will assist with the day-to-day management of Mather Jamie’s commercial management portfolio.
She said: “The commercial management role really appealed to me as I really enjoy facilities management and liaising with clients, tenants and contractors.”
Amber said: “Working in the rural estates team looked really interesting as I grew up locally so I am familiar with the area and some of the estates already.
“I really enjoy face-to-face interactions with customers and I am looking forward to building relationships with landlords and tenants. I also enjoy constantly learning new things and the role offers lots of variety.”
John Pye
National valuer and online auctioneer John Pye has bolstered its business and property team with the appointment of David Jeans as a consultant surveyor, who has come out of retirement for the job.
David has worked in the property industry for more than 45 years, 35 of them in valuations.
He is a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Charted Surveyors, and prior to his retirement had worked with several national firms.
Nottingham-based John Pye has more than 60 auction rooms across the 海角视频, employing around 600 people.
David said: “I’m so pleased to be joining the brilliant team at John Pye, postponing my retirement to take this opportunity and keep me out of mischief.
“Most of my experience is in valuations for secured lending, insolvency, and probate, especially in housing and commercial properties, along with the occasional sale, so this seemed like a great fit.
“I’m particularly looking forward to working across the whole country – while being based in Manchester.”
John Pye’s valuation service is provided to clients across five departments and the team manages more than 25,000 valuations a year across more than 20 海角视频 sites. This ranges from seized vehicle valuations to RICS Red Book Property valuations, so it is extremely varied from one instruction to the next.
Fisher German
An associate director at a leading property consultancy has been voted national deputy chair of a key industry association.
Rachel Bridge, of Ashby-based Fisher German, has become the deputy chair of the Pipeline Industries Guild (PIG), the only association worldwide to cater directly for the needs of the pipeline industry.
The role will see her sit on the executive committee of PIG, looking at the development of the industry right across the 海角视频, before becoming national chair in 2024 – one of only a small number of women to ever take up the position.
Rachel was first introduced to PIG during a university placement in 2007 and has since been an active member, taking on the role of Midlands chair in 2020.
She is now set to focus on driving sustainability across the sector as part of the guild’s 2025 strategy.
She also has a passion for education and has ambitions to educate young people on the importance of the sector and the varied career paths it offers.
Rachel is an associate director within Fisher German’s Infrastructure Services Division, and is based at the firm’s Ashby office.
She is responsible for business development and bidding for new infrastructure work and also has more than 10 years of experience managing infrastructure assets across the oil and fibre sectors.
Rachel said: “We are entering a green revolution which focuses on sustainability for now and the future, and PIG sees itself as being central to this.
“There are some major multi-million pound infrastructure projects set to take place across the 海角视频, and I will be looking to drive innovation across the whole sector, exploring new technologies and encouraging the sharing of best practice.”
East Midlands Development Company
A former head of commercial at property consultancy Carter Jonas has been appointed to chair the board leading one of the biggest large-scale development opportunities in the Midlands.
Sir Chris Haworth, who has a 40-year career in the industry, has become independent chair of the East Midlands Development Company, which has been set up to accelerate the development of three huge sites covering an area the size of three London Olympic Parks.
The sites span several hundred hectares and sit next to the M1, alongside both the area of the Government-backed East Midlands Inland Freeport and the approved location for an HS2 station.
They include:
Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station area. The 海角视频’s last coal-fired power plant, due to close in late 2024, has been identified as the symbolic focal point for the development of net zero energy and industrial technologies. Sited within the East midlands Airport Freeport area, it also sits alongside East Midlands Parkway, now confirmed as the site of the region’s HS2 station.
East Midlands Airport Area: The 海角视频’s biggest dedicated freight-handling airport is the centrepiece of a Government-approved freeport and is expected to see significant commercial and residential development.
Toton and Chetwynd Area: A prime development site of around 200 hectares that has been earmarked for the development of a mixed-use community and innovation campus. The model development between Nottingham and Derby also includes the site of a proposed new Network Rail station with links across the region.
The DevCo has been set up by five local authorities ahead of the parliamentary process needed for it to become a Development Corporation with planning powers.
Sir Chris said: “This is probably the biggest and most coordinated development opportunity I have been involved with during my career and it will be a privilege to lead the board, which includes a blend of private and public sector expertise.
“I join at a point when the hard work of the public and private sector partners behind this project is beginning to bear fruit, and the board will play a key role in driving real commercial momentum.”
He is the second senior appointment at the EM DevCo, and joins Managing Director Richard Carr on the team.
CLA
Midlands-based Catherine Desmond has accepted a seat on the national tax committee of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).
She is head of private client services and landed estates at PKF Smith Cooper, and said she welcomed the chance to play a role in shaping rural tax policy.
The CLA – originally called the Country Landowners’ Association – represents land, property, and business owners in rural locations across England and Wales.
She said: “Many of my clients are also involved with the CLA and both contribute to, and benefit from, the work that they do.
“I am delighted to be able to play my part and look forward to hearing views from clients and contacts on the impacts taxation policy has on the rural economy that can be taken forward to the committee.
“I also sit on the local Derbyshire Committee and am happy to hear of rural issues other than taxation that others would like aired in that forum.”
Prior to beginning her tax career, Catherine completed a law degree, moving on to qualify as a chartered tax advisor specialising in private wealth and landed estates.
Elliot Mather
Ben Lawson has joined the family law department at Elliot Mather in the Chesterfield head office.
Ben is an experienced family solicitor having worked in law firms across Derbyshire, whilst also assisting clients across both Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
He assists clients with all issues arising from relationship breakdowns, having particular interest in: complex financial matters, child arrangements, nuptial agreements, and high net worth divorces.
He said: “The firm has strong roots in Chesterfield and across the East Midlands, with a reputation for quality legal advice and putting client’s first.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Family Department, to assist those experiencing relationship breakdowns.”
The firm’s Family Law department now has 11 fee earners helping clients locally, regionally, and even nationally.
Stormclad
Stormclad, a home improvement company based in Basford, Nottingham, has employed two new team members with more positions to be filled as the business continues to grow.
Allison Froggatt joins the team as a customer service advisor while new window designer Sally Malin will visit customers and carry out consultations for the firm’s range of windows and doors.
Allison said: “Stormclad is growing rapidly as a business and I am excited to be part of the growth - I think 2022 will be just as busy as 2021, if not busier.
“We have many returning customers and new customers that have come to us through recommendation.
“People are still unsure about booking holidays due to the Covid pandemic so they are spending more of their money on home improvements.”
Started in Nottingham more than 20 years ago, Stormclad offers a range of aluminium, timber and uPVC windows, modern and traditional style conservatories, bifold, patio, front and back doors, carports and verandas in a range of styles, colours and bespoke finishes that are installed by a team of expert fitters.
Sign up for your free East Midlands newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn
Email newsletters
BusinessLive is your home for business news from across the East Midlands including Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.
Click through here to sign up for our email newsletter and also view the broad range of other bulletins we offer including weekly sector-specific updates.
We will also send out 'Breaking News' emails for any stories which must be seen right away.
For all the latest stories, views and polls, follow our